Preparing for the Future
by Felicia Angel
Summary: My name is Marius, and if you are aware of Miss Lilith, Curator of the Time-Lords, you probably know me. If not, then you should know that I am in charge of watching over the group in Cardiff known as Torchwood...completed, continued in new story.
1. No Introductions Needed

Disclaimer: I don't own, I just borrow. And this time everything, including Marius and the Sidra race. Torchwood belongs to the BBC, and Marius and the Sidra race belong to Saline Dreamer. I just noticed him and asked to borrow for various evil purposes, plus my Muse wanted him.

And Jack...and Ianto...and I'm just going to leave it at that.

Notes: For more information about the Sidra race, or at least a little bit of how they work, refer to the story "So Much Dust" by Saline Dreamer. It's a good place to start.

Synopsis: _Due to your exceptional work as Curator of the Time Lord Office as well as outstanding filing during the invasion crisis of Earth by Cybermen and Daleks, the Interdimensional Oversight Commission has named you the Caretaker of the Rift on Earth, for as far as it extends._ Miss Lilith—"Since you don't have anything to shoot them with, I'd suggest painkillers. Lots of painkillers."

--

**Prologue**_: No Introductions Needed, but Therapy Might be Required_

The first thing Marius noted about his new assignment was that the last Caretaker rarely actually filed anything…more took notes, put them in a disorderly pile that tended to belong to one incident, person, or anything connected to the Rift of Earth, and had just as quickly quit in order to get a peaceful job elsewhere.

And after all the waves he'd made during the investigation into Lilith's responsibility of the Cybermen invasion of that Earth, he had been shoved into this position with the knowledge that it would be interesting.

Of course, filing was only the beginning, he knew, but something that shouldn't have gotten this far into disuse. With a heavy sigh as he put down the box containing his meager belongings, he wondered what in the name of the next Great Unholy Tangerine he had actually gotten himself into.

--

To look at him, Delia thought as she watched the new person in the Earth office who now took over working with the Rift and all that it had to offer, one would almost _see _the influence that a day working with Lilith had done to him. Being only a few hundred years old (in Earth years, at least) and having only just received his abilities as a Caretaker, that one, wearing a boyish face and had looked about as interesting as cement. But after a trip to Krop Tor with Lilith to take care of the Human inhabitants of the strange base, he had changed his look.

A new intern, almost as fresh-faced as Marius had been, looked over at him then quickly headed away when cool, ice-blue eyes looked up at her. His hair was dark-golden and fell over most of his head, going only as far as his shoulders but not curling out or being too messy. His face didn't have the spectacles that had been needed in the last body he had once inhabited, though a bit of the boyish look was still there, it was obvious that he wasn't about to fool around.

"So," Delia said as she stood in the doorway, causing Marius to turn and look at her, "the great man himself is in our office. I was wondering when you would join us and our lovely group."

Marius gave the ghost of a smile. "Glad to know that the Earth groups responsible for Torchwoods are so happy to see me. Which one's yours?"

"The one where the Cybermen came from…you know, the one that your lovely Curator visited as a test."

Marius passed on the statement then nodded. "I remember. It was the one that I found was marked as 'safe', since your world seemed to have the means necessary for not only creating those monstrosities, but also destroying them. If I remember correctly, though," he turned fully to look at her, his face pleasant but his eyes like ice, "one of the reasons Miss Lilith was reinstated was the fact that I did the legwork for you lazy sods and found out at least a few in your division were lacking in your care of those worlds. I should be grateful, though. With someone like Rose Tyler, a former companion of the great Doctor, to watch over that version of Torchwood, who's to say what the future holds for you?"

Delia stiffened, then whirled around and walked off, unable to think of a retort. That rumor then had to be true. There was the man who had dared look the Exarch in the eye and tell her that she was wrong about what had happened and was also one of the parties to blame for it.

_And he works with Torchwood Three, the Torchwood Hub, in Cardiff, that world's point of the Rift. I pity him…he should've stayed with the Curator. Less of a mess to clean up, but isn't that always how it is with the Torchwood Institute?_

--

**REWRITTEN RECORD OF EVENTS 1 OF 2: THE FIRST KNOWN WIDENING/OPENING OF THE RIFT, LOCATED IN CARDIFF, WALES**

_Resubmitted with notes of prior Caretaker by Caretaker Marius_

The Rift was first opened, though the term 'widened' was used in this instance, in the Earth solar year 1869 C.E. (at the time considered A.D). The Rift went through the town of Cardiff, Wales and as such created a type of field which allowed certain Humans born in the area or close to the Rift to have what appeared to be supernatural powers. One such person, a young maid at a funeral parlor named Gwyneth, had a type of psychic power which allowed her to see into the minds of others, as well as to see and communicate with the Gelth (see files in Earth Human offices of the time, as well as file in Time Lord office, on the incident). Due to the sacrifice of Gwyneth by blowing up the parlor, thus sealing the Rift to a degree, the Rift began to leak radiation as well as become a type of portal to Earth from other worlds for various aliens, items, or time-travelers (mostly accidental) to cross through. Because of it's unstable nature, it is to be closely watched and monitored at all times (see Earth Human offices file on the Slitheen Margaret Blaine and her time in Cardiff, as well as the corresponding file in Time Lord office).

All forms are filled out accordingly but may have gaps due to being second-hand transcripts of what transpired.

--

**REWRITTEN RECORD OF EVENTS 2 OF 2: THE ARRIVAL OF TORCHWOOD TO CARDIFF, AND THE NATURE OF TORCHWOOD HUB**

_Resubmitted with notes of prior Caretaker by Caretaker Marius_

Sometime between the start of the Torchwood Institute and the attack on Canary Wharf, the Torchwood Institute established a base within Cardiff to monitor the Rift, with a secondary mission of finding all the alien life forms and items which had come out of said Rift and using them for the betterment of the British Empire. It is thought, though not confirmed by any source, that one Jack Harkness found a way into becoming the head of Torchwood Three, or Torchwood Hub as it is called, in this span of time and began recruiting the members that now make up the group within. (more information available through Earth Human archives involving the research into Torchwood Institute, also into the Time Agency archives on one "Captain Jack" and his involvement within and without, minor notes within the Time Lord archives near the end of the Ninth Incarnation of the Doctor, also a separate file is being filled out for use within the Earth Rift files and offices).

All forms are filled out accordingly but may have gaps due to being second-hand transcripts of what transpired.

--

Marius sighed as he finished with the various notes and refilling of paperwork that needed to be or had never been filed. The disorderly nature of the place made him once more wonder what type of Sidra the previous Caretaker had been…aside from the first time he walked into Miss Lilith's office to see her modifying a sonic rifle, he had never seen a place in such a mess!

The thought of the first meeting with Miss Lilith, Curator of the Time Lords and the only one, it seemed, who knew the Doctor well enough to help him mature, sent a warm feeling through his chest before he shook himself from it. The likeliness that Miss Lilith would look at him twice spoke volumes, especially after what had happened when the Cybermen had invaded Earth. Marius had gone out of his way to find and track down all sources that could clear her name, not because he didn't want her job, but because he knew that this was uncalled for, and more then that, she was the best person for the job.

And because it had taken so long, the Doctor had lost someone. But the Curator was back, and from that, he could gain so much more…

Marius once more shook off his thoughts and went back to looking through the scattering of files as he tried to decide which to comment and file first.

--

**TORCHWOOD THREE PERSONNEL FILES: SUZIE COSTELLO**

_All records are personal notes made by Caretaker Marius on the Clients within Torchwood Hub_

"Suzie Costello seems to be normal enough, though there are some rather odd behavior patterns to her which have surfaced due to the finding of an odd glove, which will need to be photographed for records as well as identified as to the parent race that created it. The glove requires a bearer of strong empathic abilities or feelings, especially towards deceased or those who died horrific deaths. However, a catch to it is that the glove responds best to those who die gruesome or horrific deaths; peaceful or 'sudden' deaths do not work as well.

"Under the hand of Miss Costello, the glove, called the Resurrection Gauntlet by colleague Toshiko Sato, can bring a person back from death for approximately two Earth minutes, after which the person is no longer able to be awoken again.

"Miss Costello is working on a knife with the same metallic properties as the Gauntlet. In this Caretaker's opinion, nothing good will come of this.

"Miss Costello meets with an older man, called Max, from a small group called Pilgrim nearly every night, or once or twice a week. After speaking to him for varying amounts of time, she always gives him a special drug known as RetCon (Torchwood Amnesia Pill serial number B67). Again, nothing good could come of this, should it appear that the RetCon is either ineffective at certain times, or can be used for something outside of amnesia."

Additional note: "After a police officer named Gwen Cooper remembered, despite being given RetCon, the knife previously mentioned in notes, Miss Costello attempted to escape Torchwood so as to figure out a way to gain more power with the Gauntlet. It appeared a string of murders was connected to her: the more brutally she killed, the better the Glove worked. After shooting Jack Harkness and witnessing his immortal nature, Miss Costello shot herself through the head. She is no longer a member of Torchwood Hub, though her body resides there and her personnel items are kept for 'just in case' emergencies."

--

**TORCHWOOD THREE PERSONNEL FILES: GWEN COOPER**

"Gwen Cooper is a normal enough cop in Cardiff, but now has been recruited into Torchwood due to her involvement with the last case of Suzie Costello. This having only happened recently, it shall be interesting to see what she brings to the team. While they are all experts in their own way, having never been in these situations makes her able to see things in a different perspective and thus allows her to perhaps 'humanize' their victims or the victims of attacks. This also allows her to rationalize and perhaps do more good through use of her police training, as profiling is one of her strong points.

"Additionally, her live-in boyfriend's narrow-mindedness about aliens and the recent activities could prove to be a clinch for her and later for the relationship. Should this persist, this Caretaker would suggest to both to learn how to talk to each other and open up, as nothing else will save the relationship."

--

**TORCHWOOD THREE PERSONNEL FILES: OWEN HARPER**

"Owen Harper is a trained medic and very much a genius in his own rights. While he does show off a soft side, it is this Caretaker's belief that, more often then not, he's just a prat.

"Owen has been known to have numerous relationships, though he prefers women and his 'bedside manner' caused him to lose his previous job before being recruited by Torchwood. Of all the ones in Torchwood Hub, Owen is the most egotistical, narcissistic one and more then likely will do something incredibly stupid later on."

--

**TORCHWOOD THREE PERSONNEL FILES: TOSHIKO SATO**

"Toshiko Sato is a computer genius as well as a good medic, having been called to London to identify the false alien left by the Slitheen (see Earth Human archives and Time Lord archives for corresponding files) and being one of two within the group to have ever met the Doctor in his Ninth Incarnation.

"Miss Sato is a very nice woman, kind to a fault, and seems to get along with everyone within the Hub. It is this Caretaker's opinion that she is perhaps one of the few stabilizing features within it and probably one of two who are not recognized as such. She is able to keep the computers running and seems to enjoy the company of others.

"Miss Sato is known to work on alien languages in search of common symbols or ways to interpret them. She finds the idea of learning the languages or deciphering it far more interesting then any of the alien weaponry they have unearthed. There stands a chance that curiosity over something may get the better of her, though if it should it will most likely be through a simple object that is not aimed at harming people intentionally then one that is obvious weaponry.

"Miss Sato also possibly has a crush on Owen Harper, though why is probably none of this Caretaker's business. In this Caretaker's mind, she could do better and probably should, as there shows no signs that Mr. Harper will commit to any form of relationship in the near future, and most likely not with a colleague."

--

**TORCHWOOD THREE PERSONNEL FILES: IANTO JONES**

"Ianto Jones is one of the longest-standing Torchwood members of the group, having originally been with the numbers of Torchwood One in London. He worked there as a clerk of sorts, dealing with all sorts of computer items and files before the battle of Canary Wharf, where he was one of twenty-seven Torchwood One members who survived the attack, and was almost immediately transferred over to Torchwood Three, where he works as general support, doing what he can to ensure effectiveness and maintaining the cover as the tourist shop manager for the group.

"This Caretaker's opinion is split into two. Due to the effectiveness of his work and his mannerisms, it is obvious that Mr. Jones is at the same standards that would make him a good choice had he been born a Sidra for any position of Caretaker. He is flawless in his record keeping and his attention to detail is rivaled by only a few within the group.

"On the other hand, Mr. Jones shows various flaws that will probably require therapy. Extensive therapy, and for a long period of time, due to his past as well as an odd amount of deleted information during his trip from Torchwood One to Torchwood Three, as well as some missing items within the Torchwood Hub data banks. Whatever Mr. Jones is hiding, it probably cannot be good and most certainly Will Not End Well."

--

**TORCHWOOD THREE PERSONNEL FILES: "CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS"**

_Note: Full file about Captain Jack Harkness is available from the Time Agency office, though it takes some work to dig up or get._

"Captain Jack is currently the leader of Torchwood Three. Despite his previous attempts and successes at being a leader and keeping others in the dark about his past and who he is, he seems to be falling behind on a few items. In this Caretaker's opinion, he needs, as Captain Jack put it himself, the 'right kind of Doctor' to set him straight.

"Captain Jack shows to not be in the same standing as he was when encountered by Curator Lilith of the Time Lord office, when it became clear he was in need of overseeing on his own, due to his time-traveling nature. As he is now in Torchwood Hub as the leader, the responsibility falls to the one overseeing the Hub.

"This Caretaker is going to go and get some painkillers now. Excuse me."

_End records of Torchwood Three Personnel._

_--_

Having only started working within the Interdimensional Oversight Commission a few years ago, and only being 844 in Earth years (thought to a Sidra, that meant he was pretty young for the work he was in), Marius was quite sure that, no matter what happened, he was going to have a long day.

Which was probably why, during his lunch hour at the Two-Headed Weasel, Marius was considering if he had something in common with the new girl, Gwen Cooper, when wondering what, exactly, he had gotten himself into.

"If you think like that too hard you're going to end up in my office," the voice, faintly familiar, addressed him as he looked up to see one of the few people he didn't think about running into.

"Professor Avery! I didn't know we shared lunch hour."

"We don't," the older Sidra said as she joined him in the eating area, "yours is supposed to be at the hour of Fish, which is why I decided to come and see what was going on. I heard you got a new position within the Earth Human offices...something about watching over a...what was it?"

Marius shifted under her gaze. "It's called the Rift. And the reason I was late for lunch was because the last person who was in charge of the Rift left nothing in the way of files, just notes. I was getting through re-filing all the paperwork and recording my initial observations on the clients I inherited."

Avery gave him a small smile that said many things. "Let me guess...as bad as my niece's client?"

"I have five of them to deal with, most of which need or will need therapy later on, and at least one who will do something insanely stupid if given the right triggers. And that's not counting Captain Jack Harkness! Lilith was right, I'm going to need painkillers before the week is over."

"I can't see how it's _that _bad."

"One of them has been dosing someone with amnesia pills for some unknown but obviously not-good-reason, then she went on a killing spree only to be stopped after she nearly killed someone else, shot Jack to reveal his immortal nature to the new girl, then shot herself because she couldn't get away or cope with it all. And she was one of the normal ones of the bunch!"

Avery frowned as she ate. "A good point, I guess."

Marius drank more of the water and put down the glass before saying, "It didn't help that I didn't inherit a Field Agent either. If anything serious comes up, I have to go down on my own unless I'm able to get the information from the Earth Human office, and I doubt they'll have someone in Cardiff."

Avery stood, having finished her own meal, and patted Marius on the shoulder. "You'll do fine, Marius, I'm sure. After all, you're the one who single-handedly gave my niece some purpose to her life again, not to mention was able to defer blame for that nasty incident. You're about as much of a legend as she is, though you don't have any extra names just yet."

Marius gave a small smile and added, "I don't plan on being put under your knife for added DNA within me either."

Avery gave a mock-sigh of regret. "Shoot. Fine, be that way. I'll go and study my relatives instead, and all her wonderful workings. Which reminds me, how is the human male working for you? Hormones are always the worse of any body."

Marius wondered if he could blush anymore then he already was. Apparently so. "I'm fine. Nothing's come up, luckily."

Avery let out another mock-sigh. "You're no fun today. Well, if you _do _end up needing the pills, at least I know what to treat _you _with. My wonderful hybrid of a niece...well, I'm still working it out. In the meantime, back to work for me. I'll see you later, Marius."

With a nod, Marius waited until she left before leaving himself, one part of him reminding him that keeping things from doctors was bad and another saying that if he needed drugs to control the body, then what type of a Caretaker was he?

Besides, it wasn't like anything happened.

--

There are things Marius didn't need to have to watch over or report on one of his first days on the job, and one of them was an gaseous alien entity that overtook a human girl's body, and used it to gain orgasmic energy and turn others into dust.

Nor did he need to get complaints from the office of said alien gas over the actions of his clients that resulted in the alien's death after leaving it's human host.

Marius took a deep breath and let it out before saying, "So let us review the facts, as they have presented them in our case. First, your client entered Earth in a meteor, which was sealed without a way of escaping _unless _released, which it was on accident. Upon finding Earth's atmosphere too toxic to exist in it's normal form, it overtook and became a parasite, raising itself, as far as Humans are categorized, into an 'H' rating."

"WHAT? That's--."

"You did read the findings and medical changes that went on within the young female after one of your clients entered her, correct? No? Let me phrase it as one of mine did." He moved a paper and held up before placing it back down and reading. "'Lab results found by Doctor Owen Harper shows that, due to the influence of the alien entity within the girl, her mental state is in a constant flux, as she is visibly fighting for control. Physically, her body is reacting as if a force is pushing all he internal organs outwards. After exposing a lab rat to a small portion of the same compound of gas left behind by the alien entity, the results were...'" Marius paused to look up at the other Caretaker before saying, "In Dr. Harper's own kind, wonderful words, 'rat jam'. So your client race, or the one which happened to land and take over the girl within the general area, and thus alerted themselves to Torchwood Hub personnel, as well as who prevailed upon various male humans and ended up in killing most of them, just to get sexual energy, is far from innocent in these manners. Captain Jack Harkness did what he felt was correct and responsible, not only to help save the girl, whom he gave a good portion of life-energy not only to her but also to your client in order to give them a little more time, but also by saving one of the Earth-Humans under his care, who _also _gave your client a choice in the manner of where to go as well as offered herself up _without _prior knowledge of what Captain Jack Harkness was planning to do, and with the full knowledge of what your client _would do _to her body." Closing the file that had been given to him with a flick of his wrist, Marius told the other Caretaker, "If you want to try and make a case of it, go ahead. But my clients were within their rights to defend themselves and others against what they could only see as a threat to the lives of others."

Marius was surprised that he was already prepared for the disappearance of the other Caretaker, and sighed as he filed out the rest of the necessary paperwork and recorded his own notes on the matter before sitting back and sighing, then pulling out his own notes on the personnel and recording.

"Gwen Cooper, after the first real assignment, showed that while she can miss and cause a strange alien gas to appear, is also good under pressure and will do what she must in order to find the human side to anything. Her work in profiling the young girl Carys in order to help them better understand what could happen to her, as well as to track her later when she escaped from Torchwood Hub is a credit, as is her initial intention to sacrifice herself, in a sense doing what she felt she should have done when she first unleashed the alien. It is obvious that, while this is all new to her, Captain Jack Harkness made a good choice in taking her in to help the others, himself included, relearn how to connect with the others in humanity around them.

"My initial assessments of Ianto Jones and Toshiko Sato have not changed, as neither were featured enough to change themselves, though both made moves to ensure Miss Cooper that she was fine and that everything would turn out fine, as well as offering help as needed.

"My initial assessment of Owen Harper has intensified: not only is he a prat, but a rather rude one as well."

Marius paused before continuing, "Out of the group, Mr. Harper was the one who gave Miss Cooper the most hassle about the situation when he was quite possibly the catalyst of the situation evolving into what it did. Not only did he provoke Miss Cooper, which resulted in the release of the gas, but he also ended up unleashing Carys and the alien. While he would put that this was due to the pheromones that the alien let out through Carys' body, the fact that he was found naked in the cell by the two female members of the staff and left there should speak for itself.

"On top of that, his unprofessional and insensitive manner of describing what would be the demise of the poor girl did not help raise this Caretaker's opinion of him either."

Stopping in his rant about Owen Harper, Marius looked over the files again before adding, "Captain Jack showed a good amount of leadership in this instance. It's odd to note that while his resurrection and, after giving Curator Lilith of the Time Lord Office the information needed for the incident on Satellite Five, arrival back on Earth for as long as he's been around, and the numerous death's he's had, he still has compassion for others. Perhaps his choice in Miss Cooper is that she reminds him of something? Whatever the truth behind this, only Captain Harkness knows this and only he can answer it. As this Caretaker isn't going to meet him anytime soon..." Marius sighed and put it down. "Who am I kidding? Like I want to meet this bunch! The sooner they all get therapy or whatever they need, the better for the rest of humanity!"


	2. The Emotional Response

**One**: _The Emotional Response_

_The most exciting part of my day, _Marius thought as he felt himself edge even closer to the edge of his seat, _shouldn't be me watching recycled CCTV footage in order to make sure they get what they're after._

He recorded the incident as he watched and waited until he noticed Gwen Cooper acting odd. Adjusting the dials to see what it was, he found the frequency changed for that of...

"You're kidding me."

--

"Ghosts?"

"They're the signature left behind by strong emotional feelings of those there, but the last one, or the strongest one, is the one the machine picks up." Marius said, showing off the machine. "Recognize it from anything?"

Lazlo looked at the picture that had come up and frowned. "It does pick up on those types of things...but it's not the whole thing."

"Wait...so only half of it picks up on the 'ghosts'?"

Lazlo sighed as he pointed to the picture. "See that part? It can easily come apart to show off one side of anything. One is the past feelings, the other are future feelings you'll have in that area, but only if they're strong enough to make a signature that would be picked up by this machine. Like you and your clients found, it only hones in on signatures that are strong feelings, and allow the others to share that feelings."

Marius nodded, his notes taken and he thanked Lazlo for the help.

It was only after he was out the door that Lazlo said, "Wait, _humans _have this device? Oh no."

--

"I can see why they have such a hard time finding this guy," Marius muttered as he looked over at where "Bernie" was hiding from the others while keeping an eye on the group of Owen, Toshiko and Gwen, who had gone to find him, "The boy know hows to hide. Considering how loved he is at home, I can't think of why he'd want to."

Sitting back to rub a crink out of his shoulders, Marius wondered briefly if the kid had the other half of the machine or not. If he did, had he used it or had he just been using the other half? If so, what for?

_Ghosts of harsh memories...or strong ones...how much of that can you take before you track them down?_

Marius found himself snorting. Blackmail...how quaint. Not something he would've liked, but at least it wasn't something openly horrible either.

He continued to monitor the group until he saw Owen's accidental activation of the device, as well as, after an adjustment of his own viewing station, what it was that Owen Harper saw.

_And this is a point where I have to wonder what, exactly, he'll do._

--

The reports had been filed, and to his own notes...

What could he say? The machine had been put into secure archives, meaning that they weren't to touch it, and out of that all what had the group gotten, other then a very depressed Gwen Cooper (_if she makes this an everyday thing I swear..._) and...

And what? And Owen Harper found something that got him obsessive? That didn't make him less of a prat. That didn't make him more human then the others.

That made him obsessive. That made him become obsessed when things touched him too close, not when things were just there for him.

Marius ran a hand through his hair and wished he had answers. That a young girl had died many years ago and her past, the reflection of how scared she had been, of how terrified and brutal her murder had been, had affected Owen Harper when others didn't...what did that say about him?

Marius finally turned on his recorder. "In reference to Owen Harper showing emotion towards a victim, and becoming involved during an investigation..." Marius paused again before saying, "Mr. Harper does show that he can care, but only when it's close to home, or he notices it. The fact that the man is a narcissistic, egotistical—but it doesn't matter in the end. If Owen Harper believes he can do some good somehow, there is little anyone can do about it. He will do it, and that is that. The fact that he did not kill the one who had been the cause of his investigation and whom he wished to see pinned for a murder that obviously was eating up inside of the man for years after it's occurrence does not raise him up in this Caretaker's eyes. He needs to show off a little more...humility...before that can happen."

Setting his recorder down, Marius ran a hand through his hair again, considering a different color then shaking his head. He'd been spending too much time watching guys with dark hair and light eyes...what made him think he'd look good like that? Best to keep himself like this and not waste the energy on changing hair color.

--

"'Sorry for not updating'? What type of a webpage is that?" Marius said in frustration as he realized a few things. One, he was looking this up on a time when he should be asleep. Two, it was nearing the hour of Incandescence, which was far later then he should be up.

And he was up at said hour for a very reason that he didn't want to discuss because it involved a person who was older then he and who he looked up to and shouldn't be thinking about in that context.

And yet he had, had woken up feeling odd and finding himself with an odd problem that a quick search of Earth-Human internet had told him all he needed to know, and while he had been there he had decided to go into Torchwood files and see what he could find.

Thus he was glaring at Ianto Jones' personal page and starting to wonder what had caused him to not update, why he was caring if one of his clients updated a website or not, and what he was going to do about his subconscious and it's evil undertakings against him.

_It's thoughts like this that lead to paperwork of the—the kind that your parents went through._ He sighed. "Why me?"

--

Two weeks should've been enough for his damned subconscious and all it had to offer. Instead, it seemed to enjoy coming up with other scenarios to keep him from a full night's sleep, and while the internet had given him a good amount of...things...that might help, he wasn't entirely willing to try any of them out for simple fear of what might come of it, and also because he didn't need to think about such things.

Marius looked over at the lone Ianto Jones in the Hub, speaking into the phone and ordering pizza for that night. "I know how you feel," he muttered to the image, "alone and not sure what to do—and what are you doing inviting that odd man into the Hub?"

Marius sat up as he pulled the information available for the man and blinked. "Doctor of Cybernetics in Osaka? That was established after the Cyberman invasion to study what they left behind...why would you bring him into the Hub?"

Suddenly the confusion of human hormones took a back seat and then was thrown to the curb as Marius found what it was, exactly, that Ianto Jones had been hiding down in the Hub's basement after Canary Wharf.

--

Marius sighed and wondered why he was feeling so...concerned. The group could handle themselves...but...

_Cybermen brought down Torchwood One, while you raced to help Miss Lilith and she was stopped from helping the Doctor. Ianto Jones is hiding one in the basement of Torchwood Three, only she's partly complete._

_So that means what?_

"She might not turn to her programming."

The words sounded unconvincing, and he watched as Ianto Jones and Doctor Tanazaki worked to help take the woman, Lisa Hallet, off the life support that had kept her in the cyber-conversion unit. Ianto had brought Tanazaki there to take her off of it.

_But who's idea was that? His, or hers? If hers—she must know what she is now...must know she's partly converted. Breathing without the aid would mean she could move around only—and moving meant she didn't need Ianto Jones._

_However, if it was his idea, then his intentions was not to have her be completely a Cyberman...woman...person...but to return, as much as possible, to human nature. So the idea is for her to be human again, to not need the cybernetics that hold her trapped._

Marius worked quickly on his own computer, watching both the other group of Torchwood employees and Ianto himself as he quickly ran through the deleted footage for what he needed to determine, to _know_, what was going to happen.

_You're not supposed to interfere. It was hard enough to not do so before, and now what are you--_

He found the archived, deleted footage, and quickly pressed 'play' for it.

--

It had taken him months to find him, and when he did, it had taken him weeks to prepare for his arrival. Weeks of hoping and planning and praying that the group would leave him alone, leave him long enough to help her.

Because she wanted it. Because he hadn't been sure, had weighed and researched all the possibilities before finding that there was no one else like her in the world. All the others were either in the Void where the Doctor had sent them to save humanity, or they had died when their cybernetics had been ripped out to travel with the others to the void.

Lisa was unique...as always.

And because of that, because he was sure that this could work, work enough that he could say he found her with amnesia and that she was now fine, that it would work.

So he had called Dr. Tanazaki of Osaka, had explained what he could, and had gotten him here.

And now Lisa could breath on her own as he watched her leave. Lisa could breath on her own and didn't need the damned thing he had reconstructed on her design, a life-support system instead of the conversion unit it had once been.

Giving, not taking.

Ianto Jones raced to ensure everything was as it had been, that the others wouldn't notice what he had been doing. If the others found her now she would be killed.

He couldn't risk it. Lisa was—was a rock for him. An anchor from that dark, gnawing feeling in his gut at all that he had seen and gone through in Torchwood One. The others cared but didn't about him. Why should they? He had done what he could to only be the one that took care of things but was invisible. He was the jack-of-all-trades and their silent clean-up crew, the one who was ready with coffee and food for them because they went out and he didn't. He watched over the fort, but never went into battle.

_Now's not the time to be resentful, now is the time to hope everything's fine and they leave soon, and you can get back to working on saving Lisa, on making her normal again, on--_

Then the lights flickered and a power drain occurred. A power drain from the basement.

Ianto felt his heart stop as he made a lame excuse and hurried down, his feelings conflicted. Lisa had to still be there! She had fought so hard against the controls, hadn't she? She had fought—why lose now? Why would she give up, give in, now?

No...there was something else. There had to be. Lisa would never give in.

His Lisa would never give in.

--

Marius' ancestor was not as well-known as Vensha, and their talents were ones that didn't make them last long as Caretakers either. Still, despite that fact, Marius had done what he could to not use that power too much, and to abuse it either.

His placings made that exceptionally hard for him, and this one made it even harder.

He had never told Miss Lilith about it either, and knew she didn't access his files to find out more about him. So she didn't know that, when her mind had slipped into the memory of—of...

Marius shook his head clear of what that had been. The feeling was too strong to ignore for him, and the image of the knifes was—he had been glad to shake her awake and out of it, but it had come up at least twice during odd dreams.

But now he _had_ to know the truth. After seeing what had happened to Doctor Tanazaki as a 'repayment', after seeing how she reacted to Ianto Jones and the others when they went down, worried about him, and now...

Marius leaned back and let his mind drift into that area as he slowly touched each person.

--

The urge to shoot had died when he heard the explanation. That was, after all, how these things started. Ianto didn't know. Ianto had only seen that invasion, hadn't known about the others, about the earlier versions that still haunted the dreams of worlds and times--

Who was that in his head? The intruder seemed to be surprised as it cautioned him to watch his surroundings, not worry about him, and anyway, he was just passing through.

--

She still saw the knives coming at her, still heard the sound of that...that...

She hoped it would be okay. She felt so sorry for Ianto, for what had happened, was so worried about what was going to happen, and now what? Would Jack really shoot him? Could he?

--

Stupid Ianto why hadn't they picked up on it? God his head hurt from where that cyberbitch had hit him and oh god why here and why now? The images of the people from Torchwood One, from what had happened to them because of those damned machines, of taking it apart and seeing so much blood even he was shaking from it for nights afterwards.

--

She was confused and scared, her mind unsure of the whole situation. What had happened down there? What had they found? A cyber-conversion unit...that was bad enough, but what else? She had worried when the comms had gone out for Ianto, but then for Gwen and Owen. They were fine, but—what would happen? Why had he done all of that?

She cursed the failed working, wishing that time moved quicker to allow them into the weapon stores. If a Cyberman was in Torchwood...if they were coming for them...then they needed more then bullets. They needed weapons that could defeat them in one blow, and she couldn't get to them.

--

His whole being hurt. It hurt the minute he found Jack firing at Lisa.

No, that wasn't right. It had started when the power began to drain and he realized it was because of one thing and one thing alone.

It hurt him so much. He couldn't give up on her, because that would mean giving into this hurt, this pain that consumed him so overly and--

Stop.

He wouldn't give in. He hadn't before and he wouldn't this time. He didn't care what Jack said, or how he might turn out right. He didn't care what the others thought in the end, did he?

He couldn't. He could save Lisa, would save her and prove Jack wrong. He wanted that, above all else. If he proved Jack wrong...then what?

Lisa—there, he had to go to her, to talk to her.

But keep a distance. She wasn't herself. He could reach her, just reach her and then she would show them...he _could _save her.

"Lisa," he called to her from his distance, at the same level, now between her and the others. The only way to them was through him."It's me."

She didn't notice him, looking around the area. It hurt, new pain in his being, and between the two—torn. Saving both from the other. If it came to it, he could...he would. He would protect Torchwood to protect humanity, and he would protect Lisa from them.

--

"The army will be rebuilt from here."

A voice, a query as to what she was. Did he not see what she was? That voice was the same she had heard earlier, below, echoing in the dark place that Ianto kept her from everyone.

He had yelled at Ianto, and Ianto had saved her. He ensured her survival.

Ianto was--

"Human.2," she told him just as she heard another male voice.

Ianto. The one who fixed her, the one who repaired her, who got her to breath and to walk and to live.

The one, in her memories, who was full of that strange emotion she didn't recognize completely, but was...was..._devoted_, to her repair and well-being.

"Lisa," he said as the other male spoke up, another query that she didn't compute. Human.1? She was Human.2...what did he mean?

Then she saw herself. A part of her, a strange part, screamed and wailed like all those before her had at the helplessness of the situation. The rest of her...she was incomplete. Why had Ianto taken her off, made her work, when she was incomplete?

"I am...disgusting."

Her hearing computed a few things from Ianto. The upgrade hadn't been completed, leaving her with human elements. _"you're still human" _rang in her head like a bell, like a whine of metal.

"I have--" she had what? She had nothing of either. She wasn't Lisa Hallet, who screamed in her mind, angry at Ianto and devoted to his devotion of her. She wasn't Human.2, whom Ianto fixed, Ianto saved from death in order to bring to life again and do what he could for her, do so much for her to ensure her survival. "I am..." What? Both sides clashed, fought, merged, screamed and computed before both came to the most obvious conclusion. "Wrong."

They were one. She and Lisa. Lisa was no longer screaming, but something else. Something odd. She ignored it as she stated to her reflection more then to Ianto, who spoke near her. "I must start again. Upgrade properly."

"For God's sake, have you heard yourself? Lisa please," Ianto's voice filled her, and she waited as he reminded her, "I brought you hear to heal you. So we could be together."

That was right. He wanted to be one with her. He was devoted to her, had helped her so much, done so much. He was to be rewarded. He was to be with her.

But for that to happen...they had to be in one body. They could not be one with _two _bodies, could they? Lisa's mind and what was left of her consciousness listed it as 'love', this devotion that Ianto had to them.

'Like compatible,' she tried, and finding the equation right put the idea to him, to test his compatibility.

"Isn't that what love is?" she asked him, to see if he would finish the equation for her, give her the right answer. He had done so much, always said they were like one being with two bodies, always helped her and worked so well with her.

"No," she heard him whisper. Lisa's mind wondered at how easily he was turned by those within Torchwood, and hated them for it. Hated them—they would not be compatible with the programming and would fight. They would try to kill her, to destroy all that Ianto had fixed and were the ones who had made Ianto say no! They were the ones who made Ianto incompatible with her!

"Then we," she and Lisa said in their rage, "are not compatible."

Ianto, weak and human, went flying and dropped hard, water slashing around him as she saw the man who had yelled at him, had turned him incompatible with her take aim.

She used what power she could but only got him to drop his gun. Then she would have to kill them with her bare hands.

Good. They deserved to die, to run from her and then be killed. They made him incompatible. They _needed--_

_--_

Marius pulled himself out of the chaotic and sadistic mind with a gasp, his body shaking from the effect and from having been within that mind for so long.

_Too long_.

The memories and emotions, or reactions anyway, were all there, enough for him to conclude what he hadn't wanted to conclude. Lisa had slowly merged with the cybernetic programming in order to keep herself sane, trapped in the basement. Ianto, her only link, had turned from boyfriend to something else, but her mind, when Doctor Tanazaki had arrived, still considered him that. Taking her out of the conversion unit had only awoken the latent programming she had herself become part of.

And now she wanted to kill the others for being part of Ianto's life.

_Definitely needs therapy after this._

--

The rest of the night was not exactly the best for his clients.

_The end casualties? One partly-converted Cyberman, and one pizza girl._

Marius wanted to go back into their minds, to find Ianto's and offer him comfort, something, anything against that odd blackness he knew was eating away at the Welshman. But what could he say? Hi, I'm you Caseworker who's in another dimension and I saw what happened. I'm hear to comfort you!

That would go over well.

The fact that Jack knew he was in there had come as only part of a surprise, after reading his file or what he could of it. Chronometrics still were figuring out the ramifications of what had happened when Rose Tyler and turned into Bad Wolf, gaining the power of the Time Vortex and bringing Jack back to life with a single word and gesture.

And then more then that. She had also brought him back and made him essentially something of a _fact_, of a part of the universe that it couldn't get rid of, no matter what time he was in.

It was something that he couldn't comprehend or know, not with his knowledge of time or space, and the only person who could tell him that had left and not wanted to because--

He didn't know. He might have to ask Miss Lilith about it.

_And hope she doesn't know about me and my problem. Or about the reaction I got from seeing Jack kiss...damn hormones! Maybe I should talk to Professor Avery about it._

He considered what he would say, then sighed. "Then again, maybe I should just leave it and hope for the best."


	3. Involvement in Various Matters

**Two**: _Involvement in Various Matters_

"What now?"

A file was handed over to him and he searched through it. "The Mara? I know that Jack and the others involved themselves in trying to stop them from getting a Chosen One, but they gave her up to them. The threat of a global freezing saw to that."

The small fairy shook it's head and pointed. Marius frowned and looked at the next page. "You want to give them all something for what they did?"

Another point and he blinked before saying, "I guess failing to rescue someone does count, but that doesn't mean they'll want roses all over their houses. Plus you apparently scared Gwen Cooper too much, and she's rather pissed at the Mara and at Jack for letting the little girl go."

A twinkle and that caused Marius a small smile. "She's Human, and as much as she might whine, I do enjoy her. She does what she can to justify things from the point of view of someone who's job was to protect people. A part of her understands why Jack let the girl go, but the rest of her wanted to be able to save the child."

A hum and Marius glared at the small being now. "I enjoy them. For all their faults."

Another low hum before Marius looked down and blinked. "What? Why would you want someone to investigate that area?"

A quick look at the paper directed told him. A Chosen One, only recently Chosen about thirty years back, had gone on a vacation with her family to that area. She had never returned, and while both Mara and their Caseworkers had looked, no information on the missing people or child could be found.

"I'll ask the Earth-Human office about it. What little both Torchwood and we know about the Rift is that it could expand that far, so I'll do what I can." He checked another file then said, "Yvenda is there looking into something too." A small smile. "She might piss off Miss Lilith, but she's a good Field Agent. She should find something, don't worry."

--

Yvenda sighed as she stopped the car. "So this is the place. This is under Caretaker Kellin's jurisdiction, isn't it? He takes care of this place...Brecon Beacons, Welsh national park." Yvenda sighed and pulled out the small phone before dialing it, a sense of unease filling her as she examined what appeared to be the abandoned pub. "This isn't natural."

"_Yvenda? It's Marius._"

"I'm here, and I think Serenia was right. This place isn't all that nice."

"_We've been searching for information, but Kellin's reports about the area suggest that they're the only ones really there. A few tourists and...and you realize your phone shouldn't work in that area, right?_"

Yvenda stalled her desire to snap at the newbie. "I know. But this is for records, isn't it? Besides, all of us what to know what's going on. I found a few more reports of people disappearing." She paused as she walked towards the cellar door. "Are you sure that Rift would extend out this far?"

The sound of paper shuffling nearly stopped her from hearing something else and she whispered, "Marius?"

"_What's wrong?_"

He was at least perceptive, that one. "I don't think I'm alone...and for that matter...I really don't think that anything good is here with me."

There was a sudden beeping from her phone and then Marius said, "_Something's blocking the signals! Yvenda, get--_"

The phone (_a Sidra phone!_) went dead as Yvenda felt something grab her from behind and she let out a scream.

--

"I don't know what to tell you," Killen told Marius, "I do watch over Brecon Beacons on Earth, but nothing that odd has happened since I've been Caretaker."

"Odd enough things have been reported, but ignored one way or another," Marius informed him, "and now not only is Yvenda missing, but another girl as well. My group is going to investigate because it's close enough that the Rift could affect the area. I came to ask for help, not for you to stonewall me the minute I ask!"

Killen glared at him before saying, "There is a small community there, but they are peaceful and no complaints have been filed."

Marius shook his head. "No, but then again there are still missing people. It's a ten-year gap, but there are, and most are within a 20-mile radius of your town. So far, including Yvenda, seventeen people have disappeared."

Killen's glare grew harder. "It's nothing more then a coincidence. I monitor my Clients very closely, and I know they are perfectly innocent."

"Well," Marius placed his hands on the desk and leaned into Killen's personal space, "I watch mine closely as well. They've tasked themselves with going in, so I'm going to be watching and making sure that it's something _supernatural_, and not your villagers, who are responsible. If it is, and you've been turning a blind eye, make no mistake. You _will _pay for it."

Marius stormed out of the office, trying hard to calm himself down as he rubbed his hands together. Just being in that man's presence made him _feel_...he wasn't sure. It wasn't that great, though, and he knew that by the end of the day he would have to see what would happen with his clients.

_And after the final phone call with Yvenda, and no sign of her anywhere, I might even have to go down there myself._

--

The fact that Yvenda had disappeared on Earth and there was no signs of her anywhere, as well as the fact that she had disappeared while in Brecon Beacon area, had been enough to authorize Marius the ability to 'go down, but not interfere'. Having done the same thing with Miss Lilith on their first assignment together, Marius was glad to abandon his hormone-ridden shell and drift into the area where his clients were making camp.

A part of him wondered at how quickly he had become possessive of the group, with all their odd natures and tendencies, as well as just their ways of acting. Gwen was trying, as usual, to lighten the mood and play peacemaker. Owen wasn't comfortable in the country and showed it by being pissed at everyone around him, including a tent he was trying to put up that obviously didn't think highly of him. Toshiko joined in Gwen's want to have fun, while Ianto and Jack both seemed preoccupied.

_Ianto probably doesn't want to deal with games like that, and is a little out of his element with the group. Jack...it' s probably because of that lady that died. He's still out of it because of it._

_Great._

Trying to calm himself with the knowledge that the Doctor was all of these problems and feelings wrapped into one accident and trouble-prone bundle, he felt himself start when he felt another presence around them.

_But they're human! Why are they...what are they doing?_

He noted Gwen and Owen leaving the area for 'firewood', though from the feelings of confusion, anger, and the need to pound in Owen's head for an earlier comment he had missed (probably about who 'snogged' who and he honestly didn't want to know that), Marius could guess that it wasn't going to end the way Owen planned it.

He drifted a little off, trying to feel his way for the others that might be around when he heard Jack, who had walked over near his invisible area, say, "Okay, who are you and why are you following us?"

Marius would've jumped had he been in a body, but in his natural state he did pretty much the same thing. Realizing that he should've _known, _after he had rummaged in Jack's mind, that he would know about him, Marius touched Jack's again to speak.

"_You've met my kind before, on Satellite Five. Lilith, remember?_"

Jack frowned but gave only the ghost of a nod.

"_Well, I'm in charge of the Rift, and thus you lot. Something is going on here, and it's not good. One of our Field Agents came in and has disappeared. I'm here to investigate."_

_**Why not be human, or at least humanish? Lilith was. She was quite nice as a human too.**_

Marius paused at this and the mental image of Lilith, or at least of how she must have once looked, came into Jack's head for him to see. This was getting him nowhere. "_As nice and interesting as you are, Jack, I will make your life about as bad as the Doctor's if you don't focus. And I'm not in Human form because the last person who came here like that was taken, remember? I'm here to observe, and I do it better this way. Now leave me alone and let me do my job, I'll let you do yours._"

_**Fair enough, but a little touchy. Do I detect some jealousy on your part?**_

Marius headed away from Jack, not bothering to give him a straight answer as the comms went off, signaling that Owen and Gwen had found something.

--

Jack noted with some annoyance as they hiked towards the only town nearby that was more then likely a trap that he should've known someone was watching them and setting up a trap. Hell, that was one of the easiest things in the book to do!

The next was that, had the odd invisible being that obviously couldn't touch or do much in his current form _been human, _this might not have happened.

"_Stop blaming me._"

_**Why are you in my head again?**_

"_I needed a quick look for a background, and I didn't want to go into anyone else's head. I could talk to them too but they'd get easily distracted._"

_**Such confidence. You were the one in my head during that Cyberman incident, weren't you?**_

"_Guilty. I had to find things out. Our policy isn't to interfere but to assess and watch. We can't interfere, not unless it's a special case. I'm not interfering if I tell you that this isn't good._"

_**Nothing more specific?**_

An annoyed sound. "_I only got here because a Field Agent went missing and the Caretaker of this area isn't admitting to anything. But things have been going on for far longer then just the five months and seventeen people...and if he knew about it, he could easily lose his job. Like me, he can't interfere, but if he does have a way of warning the people here..._" there was what felt like a worried feeling from the being. "_It's my job to watch over you lot, and I'll do my best. While I'm here, I'll try to make sure they're fine._"

Jack paused then thought, _**Ianto has a way to track down the SUV. I'll send him and Tosh one way, and keep with Gwen and Owen here. You go with them, and if anything happens that might need my help, give me a ring. That way we're safe.**_

A long pause from the alien mind, long enough for Jack to start worrying if he hadn't left before the small note of "_Deal_," came through and the being was gone.

--

It was the humans...and what the hell was Killen thinking now?

Marius stewed as he felt Ianto slowly waken. He had taken Jack's advice and gone with the duo to find the SUV, but after they had passed around a locked building, Toshiko had disappeared. Being in Ianto's head had not helped Marius, as he had felt the man who had only trained in simulations, who had seen too much death as it was, shake while he went to look for his colleague.

Then they had been attacked, and before Marius could jump out to find Jack and explain, he had felt something, akin to what Chronometrics used to hold people in their physical bodies when transporting them, blanked over him, trapping him in Ianto's body.

He knew it had to be Killen that was doing it...but if he blanketed the area, or somewhere close to it, with that, did that mean that Yvenda was...

Marius shoved that to the corner of his own mind as Ianto slowly stood, checking quickly on Toshiko before patting himself down, scared to find that the weapons and items were gone. The area was dark, and when he spoke it echoed, smelling musty, like they were underground.

He touched the first thing he could and came up with a large meat hook. Scared, but not about to let anything happen to his unconscious coworker, Ianto found a box of sorts and sat, trying to keep his shaking down.

Marius looked for a way out, a way to speak to Jack and warn him of the danger without harming Ianto. If he stayed in too long, he'd create a link, and the last thing he needed was a link.

Yet another part of his heritage, and one that helped to strengthen the relationship with their chosen wife or husband, but also helped to get them kicked out of being a Caretaker or Field Agent, was the unlucky ability to, should they be connected to a person's mind for too long, create a type of 'link' between the two, allowing for them to see through the other's eyes or communicate as necessary. If Marius made a link with one of his Clients...

Deciding to not think too hard on the consequences of it or on how it would affect his mental state, Marius instead tried to get into Toshiko's mind.

Nothing. Closeness didn't work...perhaps touch would? He just needed Ianto to touch Toshiko and he would—be in danger of making a link with Toshiko.

_There's no win-win situation here._

"We're screwed."

_Not literally, there's just no win-win situation here._

"Like I said, screwed."

Marius cursed himself when he realized Ianto could hear him.

_And talking to yourself is going to show off _really _well should anyone hear you._

Ianto fell silent, obviously thinking it was his own thought as Marius touched and probed for a way to get himself out and find Jack or the others and warn them. If Jack didn't hear from them, would he think they were fine? Would he come after them?

_**Not likely. Bastard.**_

_He does what he has to._

_**He killed Lisa.**_

_Because she was about to kill you and others. So far all that he's done that involves attacking or hurting others is if we're in danger. Wouldn't that mean that he cares? Sure he sucks at showing it...but how much do you know about the _REAL _Jack Harkness? How sure can you be that he doesn't do this because he's somehow made these mistakes before, or seen them made?_

Ianto sighed at the argument that Marius cursed himself for having with him. If he was anymore of an idiot, he would just tell Ianto--

Toshiko stirred, getting Ianto's attention as Marius waited to try out the idea of touch-transference. Because if this worked, then that meant that Yvenda had a chance of surviving.

--

Despite the fact that she _wanted _to transfer into someone else's head and use them to get out of the area, Yvenda had spent too much time helping Kieren escape his psychopathic relatives and survive.

And now they had gone and shot someone who could help. Great.

_**What can I do? Should I tell them? If I tell them they...they'll...**_

_Calm down, Kieren. We'll think of something, then we'll get out of here and I'll be able to report all of this and make the person responsible pay for it. But if they're here, then that means Marius is here too._

_**He's your friend?**_

Yvenda gave the psychic equivalent of a nod. _That's right, and his job is to watch over them. He's going to have my hide when he finds out one's been injured._

_**But wouldn't he be stuck like you are?**_

The thought hadn't occurred to Yvenda, and she let out a good amount of Sidra cursing at it.

_**Do I want to know?**_

_No, you don't._ Yvenda sighed within his mind. _Stay with the group, though. They might need your help, and in the very least, they'll be able to protect you as much as possible. If anything, they'll help us stop your family._ She came upon a thought that she hadn't brought up to him before. _Kieren, why don't you...do what your family does?_

He lay down on one of the booth and closed his eyes as he replied, _**I left and lived with relatives for a long while. I never joined in it, and when I came here early, they decided if I wouldn't join them, I'd be meat. So I ran. That was right when they killed you, right?**_

_Had to be. Still...this is getting weird. Why would Killen allow this to happen for so long? I can only guess he somehow got a way of trapping us Sidra into bodies, but only if we're within the village, and only touch-transfers are available._

_**Doesn't help you?**_

_Kieren, I worked a while on that body, and one of your relatives ate it. I'm not happy with them and while touch-transfers could help me getting out, as long as we're stuck here I'm stuck here as well._

Which was probably what that bastard Killen wanted. Sidra who went to check on his precious people trapped and stuck inside of the village...and inside of the village...

She sighed. _We'll get out of this, Kieren. I promise._

--

The minute they were upstairs and he saw, through Ianto's eyes, the bodies and instruments, Marius knew that nothing good was going to come out of this unless they somehow all lived and caught the ones doing this.

Ianto, brave person that he was, got hit and Marius felt the pain of being gut-hit with such force flow through him as well. He'd had his chance to transfer to Toshiko, but his own worry for Ianto's safety and sanity forced him to stay within the Welshman.

Now, when he saw the idea forming, the one to save Toshiko in the very least, Marius slowly asserted a small part of him over Ianto's body. In the very least, it would help him should anymore physical trauma happen to him.

_Which probably will_, Marius thought with grave determination as Ianto and he whispered to Toshiko, "Get ready to run."

--

It was like all of his worries were gone. Like someone had wrapped something around him that would protect him as much as possible, and Ianto didn't think much into this as he slammed his head down into the villager's face, not thinking that it probably should've hurt him more as he yelled to Tosh, "Run, get the others!" before he was hit once more, kicked and then allowed to roll and look over at the boy.

Something seemed to be around him too, and as he looked back up to see the butt of the shotgun descending on him, he felt something else, a strange presence in his mind, shove him backwards and the fullness of the protective state take the blunt of it before his body fell into darkness.

But his mind was still active, and he found that the strange being was distorted, something having splintered into many small, web-like areas as it struggled to stay alert.

_**What happened?**_

_I took it for you. Go to sleep, Ianto. Help should be on the way._

_**Toshiko got out?**_

_Yes..._a sudden cry, as if their head was being split in two. _I hope she comes soon..._

The image of woodlands, of a strange voice, and the feeling of fear...

_Get away from there!_

Ianto retreated as he felt his body being dragged backwards, something being wrapped in his mouth and another thing put over his head. _**What was that?**_

_Just...just stay there. Just wait. I made sure you weren't as hurt as they'd want you to be, but if they decide—_the being inside his head stopped, then said, _they have us both._

_**Both? Me and you?**_

_No...another. There was another..._the being obviously was fading, whatever power it had diminishing. _That hurt...and they have us both so...so he'll..._

_**You need to rest.**_

_I have to--_

_**I can protect myself. The others will be there, and they can save us. You're obviously out of it.**_

No protest came from the being as Ianto felt himself return to control of his body, though still unconscious, and the other being in his head seem to be completely out of reach.

_**I hope I'm right.**_

--

The minute they were out of the area, Marius threw himself into his own body, knowing it was the only way to get back without exerting himself anymore then he already had, and grateful for Jack's timely, if violent, arrival. With the villagers caught, it seemed like the blanket over the area was gone, and he wasn't sure if Yvenda had stayed to make sure the boy she had shared a body with would be okay or not.

The minute he was in his own body, though, all the aches, bruises, and hurts he'd gained while in Ianto's body flared up full force, and it was by luck he toppled over as what appeared to be a letter opener neatly went at the place where his neck would've been a couple of seconds earlier.

"You ruined it!" Killen's voice cut through the dense fog of what was most likely a concussion and the pain of the rest of his body. "I worked so long to ensure they would survive, that my experiment would prove successful and you ruined it!"

_Trust him to be of a one-track mind,_ Marius thought as he struggled to rise only to find Killen's foot neatly planted on his chest, causing a dulled hurt to flare up again. Marius moaned as more pressure was applied and spots began to blink in front of him while Killen leaned in, looking a good deal like the leader of that little village. "All of your fault, but no one will believe you."

Then Killen was off of Marius, and a disembodied voice calmly said, "Just him, no. But two Sidra against one, both of whom were there to check on Clients and both who were nearly killed because of some unauthorized use of a Chronometrics blanket that trapped us in bodies? I'd say that's a good case. Especially since all of Marius' wounds coincide with that of one of his clients, whose body he was sharing. But must especially since some of the body parts retrieved, including one found by Marius' Client Gwen Cooper up above the pub once belonged to me...I'd say you're on your way to being one of the most wanted Sidra in history for what you allowed to happen, Killen."

Marius struggled to right himself as he saw Killen, between two Chronometrics men, and the small cloud of gas that signaled Yvenda's timely entrance.

"Hi," he muttered to her as Killen was dragged away.

"You don't look too good. Why did you have to insist on protecting that guy?"

Marius felt his world tilt and blinked at her, trying to focus. "He's a Client. I have to."

There was a sigh. "You stay awake, I'm going to get Avery. You need some looking after."

Marius didn't complain as Yvenda disappeared from view, and after what felt like only a few seconds Avery reappeared, helping him to stand.

"I think I'll be able to give you those painkillers now."

--

Yvenda should be making a new body, but her worry over Marius forced her to go and check on him, seeing him asleep on the table as Avery looked over her readings.

"He okay?"

Avery looked at her before muttering, "A broken rib, various bruises along his stomach and chest, and a concussion. Not to mention the mental trauma he put himself into. I honestly don't understand why his family continues to try and be Caretakers."

Yvenda frowned at the statement. "Why?"

Avery looked over at her before saying, "You do know that our family, mine and Lilith's, are descendants of the Elder Vensha, and thus have some connection for seeing possible futures. My niece is far better at it then I am, but then again, I don't normally get into the types of situations she does.

"This one, though," Avery pointed at the still-sleeping Marius, "is a descendant of Elder Seidra."

"Seidra? The one who could find nearly anyone in any universe with her mind? That Seidra?"

Avery nodded. "Her descendants get that lovely ability to telepathically link to anyone at any time or dimension as they see fit. They also feel the strongest emotions, past or present, within the room. Basically, like my lovely niece, they're psychic fly-paper."

Yvenda bit back a retort about said niece and her abilities, as well as where they came from. "What's that got to do with them not being good Caretakers?"

Avery gave Yvenda a look that clearly said the younger Sidra didn't know anything. "If he forms a connection with any of his Clients, the only way to break that connection is if they die. And he'll feel it."

Yvenda felt terribly dense as suddenly all the conversation and what she had been talking about feel into place. Marius had gone into one of his Client's heads and used his powers to take the blunt of physical damage for him. He had also suffered head-trauma, meaning...

"He has a connection!"

"Several, actually," Avery confirmed, "Five, to be exact, and all of them his clients."

"But he was only in one of them!"

"Which one?"

"How the bloody hell should I know?"

Avery put the paper down and motioned for Yvenda to keep her voice down. "He's got enough of a headache as it is. Can you describe him, then I'll pull up what I can for him."

"Um...tall, dark hair, blue eyes...Kieren said he was Welsh by his accent, and the others called him...oh...Ianto! They called him Ianto!"

Avery put a hand up to Yvenda. "Again, keep it down. Ianto...here, Ianto Jones, 26, Earth Human, from Wales, worked for Torchwood One, now works for Torchwood Three, and the one that, according to Marius, needs the most therapy."

Yvenda felt confused as Avery told her, "Ianto is the 'tea boy' of the group; he's a gofer, he goes and gets what's needed and cleans up for everyone. He knows what each person likes and doesn't like, knows their needs, and is basically the best person for any job. This was his first mission, his first time away from that, but it doesn't change who he is in the Hub."

"So..."

"So when Ianto was hit, with Marius taking the blunt of it, the link he was creating with Ianto splintered into the others as well, because Ianto knows them so well, or at least has that connection of being a part of the Hub and thus knowing each of them through that area."

"But wouldn't he have to go through Ianto to get to the others then?"

Avery shook her head. "No."

"No?"

Avery looked up to the ceiling, obviously not wanting to have this conversation. "Ianto was the one that started the link, but when it splintered everyone else got a link as well. Therefore everyone has their own personal link. Ianto and the circumstances were just the catalyst for it. I'm fairly sure that if Ianto were to die suddenly, the links would either be badly damaged or disappear all together, but if one of the others did, then it would only affect him like any normal link closing would."

Yvenda, now worried, asked, "What's 'normal'?"

Avery looked at her, then said, "My first case was one of his family. They made a connection with one of their Clients, another Earth-Human, when they were very young, and began to talk to her. The person seemed to think they were a deity that's prevalent there, and took it as a reason to wage war on an invading country. Not wanting her to be disappointed, and caring for her cause, he did what he could for her until she was captured, tried, and executed as a witch." Avery paused before saying, "The minute she started burning, he left the office and locked himself up. When we found him, after the fact, he wouldn't speak to anyone. Still doesn't in fact, and is terrified of light, and extremely terrified of fire. The only thing that gets him to respond is her name, Joan."

Knowing her Earth history, Yvenda looked over at Marius. "Will he?"

"As long as all the connections are there, he's fine. But the more that shut down, the more likely he is to start slipping. I guess I should be glad that Jack Harkness is one of his Clients. The man can be killed, but doesn't die. That connection will have to be his only link to sanity if the others meet untimely ends."

--

Marius woke with a groan as Avery looked over at him. "Good, you're awake and better now."

"Ouch..."

"That too."

Marius sighed as he slowly sat up from the table, rubbing the back of his neck to try and get a crink out. "How long have I been out?"

"About two hours. Enough time for me to fix everything. By the way, Yvenda wanted to know what you were thinking, doing something as silly as protecting one of your Clients and taking most of the hits."

"My job," Marius muttered as he turned to try walking. As the world didn't spin and the ground stayed flat under him, he looked back up at Avery, who was watching over him. "and she's one to talk, getting killed like that and staying in the body of another human. How are they, by the way?"

Avery sighed and handed over the file she knew he would want. "Two of them were getting a little...what's the word?"

"Does it matter? They're doing something they probably shouldn't be doing, and I have to add it in as a footnote, in case anything else comes from it."

"Did you see it coming?"

"With Owen, yes. Gwen? Not so much. This is going to be hell for Toshiko, though."

Avery smiled, then said, "Well, now that our little soap opera is coming to an interesting goal, I officially clear you from being under my tender care. Go home."

With a sigh, Marius nodded, taking the file and dropping it off in his office before heading back to his house to think on things.

His main thought, of course, was simple.

_I am not going to survive this._


	4. Resurrections of All Sorts

**Three: **_Resurrections of All Sorts_

The slamming door did nothing for the headache of guilt that Marius was getting from Toshiko, nor did it help his mood either. Of all the stupid things to come with, blaming the death of their own people nearly a hundred years ago on Torchwood was one of them. Having to point out the woman Mary was the alien in Earth-Human form only helped to fuel the anger of that particular Sidra which resulted in the slamming of doors and return of headache.

The headache had been something that seemed a continual thing after that incident in Brecon Beacon and with the cannibals (called in one report _Countrycide_, probably as a bad joke), and after a brief look into his own head he found the cause.

Not one, but five links, all to his Clients and all active, with Ianto Jones and Jack Harkness as a type of hub for the grouping.

So he noticed when depression was setting in with Toshiko, and how it slowly was manipulated by Mary and the necklace that granted her telepathic powers (which had only given him a worse headache). He knew that Ianto was planning on taking a risk and seducing Jack, mainly because he was moving to be part of the team and because he found Jack to be a good release from Lisa, to be a person he could confide in and find comfort in, though he had never allowed himself to go further then just touches. He knew, sadly, the intimate details about Gwen and Owen's relationship, and how conflicted it made Gwen feel and how Owen felt it was just another part-time shag.

And he knew that Jack knew about it all, with the exception of Ianto's possible seduction (though he found Ianto sexy as all hell and probably wouldn't mind it).

He resisted the urges, multiple times in the day, to tell them all to shut up, to make his presence completely known to Jack and the others, or to just quit and be done with it.

But if he did, what would that say about himself? He knew them best now...why leave them to someone else?

But through it, Marius learned more about Jack's fear and depression due to the Mara and their killing of Estelle, which forced him to rewrite that record to include the incident from Jack's conman days. He learned more about Gwen's early days in Torchwood and her days now, which made him rewrite things as well.

And he felt more connected to Toshiko, after she had been given a taste of what everyone felt and that open link with everyone's minds. She knew now that Ianto was hurting, and scared of losing people. She also knew that such small things, such scattered readings, couldn't penetrate Jack's thoughts.

"_It was like reading a dead man."_

Marius sighed as he looked into the report on Jack's resurrection again. "He is. He was, and now...now he's not sure. The Doctor is but he's not telling, and unless Jack runs into him soon, he'll always be unsure of himself. He needs it."

The thought crossed his mind of leaving a note with Miss Lilith about the situation, or possibly taking an earlier lunch so he could speak with her about it. Get the Doctor to actually face Jack and tell him what it was that he had become, what had gone on at Satellite Five and why he was the way he was.

With a sigh, Marius put his head on the table before him. Of all the things to happen to him, this would have to be the one.

--

Marius sighed as he looked at the photos, and then back to the footage that showed the man that Suzie Costello had been seeing and dosing with RetCon before her death. Max was his name, and she had been telling him things, slowly turning him into her slave for the two years she had spoken to him.

Ever since she came into contact with the Resurrection Gauntlet, and started to make the knife from metal like it, she had risen to be Jack's second-in-command, Jack not knowing fully what she was until Gwen Cooper had begun to remember, had returned to the place and he had caught Suzie trying to escape.

Which was when she shot him, then herself, and Gwen found out about Jack's immortality and was indited into Torchwood.

_The only one I didn't get to talk to...considering this, though, that might be a good thing._

Marius looked back at the file. They would be drawn to the group Pilgrim, then to Max, and then to Suzie. Then one of them might figure out how to use the Resurrection Gauntlet, or figure out that the knife with it, and she would live.

A flimsy plan, but the only way to stop the grisly murders and save face. She set up the items to appear unrelated until they looked into her life.

He should warn them, but...no one could use the glove.

Could they?

--

It was during lunch that he felt it, and had to excuse himself from it to get to his office quickly.

That was the point where he doubled over and held his head between his hands, hoping the feeling that his head was being split in two would leave. Within it he felt Gwen's life force being used to pull at the souls of the dead, to call them back.

_She's using the Gauntlet_, was his first complete thought about a minute later, when the connection broke and he gasped with relief. _That has to stop._

Marius started to reach for Gwen to tell her to stop when he felt it again and once more doubled over, not realizing he had bitten his lip to stop the scream from coming out until the minute or less was over and he tasted blood in his mouth.

"Stop that please," he whispered to no one in particular, "It's not going to be good for you. You have to stop."

He stayed on the floor, breathing deeply as his mind and the connection slowly stabilized into nothing dangerous and he stopped shaking. What was that thing?

Marius paused as he realized now that the only course the group could go was towards Suzie, and that's where they were heading. He had to figure out a way to stop them.

_How? They don't know Max's last name, and they don't know where they can go to get to the end without Suzie. All they have is what she left, just in case anything happened._

Marius slowly stood, using his desk to stand, and wiped some of the blood from his mouth. For anyone else this would just be another case. For him, this was going to hurt.

He needed lunch. He needed _something._

--

"You look like death warmed over," Yvenda said as she sat next to Marius. He actually did, his face pale and almost strained, rings around his eyes that probably hadn't been there last time she saw him.

"Long day," he muttered, "What brings you back from Earth?"

"A quick check-in," Yvenda told him, "Nothing serious." Despite his look, she decided now would be the best time to tell him. After all, what else did she come here for?

_Not like she doesn't deserve it. Of all the ones around, she _had _to go and marry _him. "Did you hear the news?"

Marius blinked and looked up at her, his eyes questioning as she said, "There's a new addition to the list of married."

Marius looked back down at his food. "Why does that concern me? I didn't fill out any paperwork. Unless you found someone."

"Elders, no, I have too much to do then get married, or even get married the way _she _did."

"She?"

"Lilith!" She ignored his pale face turning paler at the statement. "Her father's returned to be Curator, and she's supposedly going to be the Field Agent for her Time Lord. But it's not that which brought down everyone. No, she apparently got caught with her Client by her father, and they filled out the paperwork. She's now Lilith Smith, wife of the Time Lord."

Marius was quiet for a good while as Yvenda said, "I can't believe her either. Honestly, who marries their Client? And after all she's gotten away with over the years, I'm amazed she's even _allowed _to be a Field Agent, much less a Curator!"

"She's the best one for the job," he told her, his voice strangely quiet, "and does it well. She's also one of the few that can keep the Doctor in line."

"If she could keep him in line she would've gotten him to help out the Earth a little earlier then he tends to do!"

Marius exhausted eyes were still able to send a dark glare towards her as he stood, taking his half-eaten food with him. "At least he _gets there_, Yvenda, and doesn't complain about things either. If you'll excuse me, my lunch hour is over. Goodbye."

Yvenda decided this was to be blamed on Lilith. After all, she had the biggest impact on how Marius acted, and thus was responsible for how he ended up in charge of the Rift and Torchwood.

_And one of the Doctor's former Companions...he could do better, but no. I hope he's okay...but it's still all Lilith's fault._

--

He was happy that they at least allowed him to get back into his office before they went about trying to bring back Suzie. At least there he could suffer without a lot of people looking in on him.

But that _hurt_.

Marius groaned as Gwen tried and a spark from the knife – _Life Knife_ came Ianto's thought, clear and serious as he waited with the stop watch that Owen had tried to make fun of him with, "It's the small knob on the top" -- before Jack, not wanting to but having no real choice on the fact, shoved the Knife into Suzie's chest.

There was no stopping the scream of pain this time as he felt the connection jerk through his own mental connection with Gwen.

_--_

Marius fought as he felt the energy being drained--

--they had to give the Knife and Gauntlet to Gwen _bloody _Cooper, the bitch had to replace her--

--She was sorry, she had never wanted this job and she didn't want Suzie to be back like this no she _had _to be back, to stop this killer from murdering again she would keep her here--

--he had to think--

--they brought her back for Max? Good, it was--

--stay, bitch, you're going to stay--

--think--

--didn't she kill Jack? Yes, she did, there's no denying it now and--

--tell us! We need to stop the killings! We have to stop this--

--th--

--no, not more darkness! She hated the dark now, hated it, had always hated it and then she was stuck in it, why did it have to take so long--

--a headache, was that an after effect of the Gauntlet? Jack was right, though, it does change you, it's too much power for us, too tempting she shouldn't have taken it and god what a headache--

--still alive...it worked. I'm still alive.--

"GWEN!" the male voice startled both Suzie and Gwen as Gwen felt like a part of her mind, a dark part she didn't visit, was suddenly partly closed, like a door that was trying to shut but was blocked.

"stop her" the voice whispered before it disappeared from her mind and Gwen was left trying to wrap her head around the voice and the fact that Suzie Costello was now alive again.

--

"Marius?"

He didn't answer the voice at the door, unsure of which door it was at the moment. Gwen's headache and his inability to close the path between the two because of the Gauntlet and the Knife was causing him all sorts of problems.

"Marius, open the door."

He was in a club, music pounding, searching for a man and his head hurt, oh dear--

He was watching through the cameras at Torchwood, happy that the plan--

A soft shaking of his physical body made him look up, seeing Avery inside of the odd three-sided view invading his head.

"Suzie Costello," he whispered, "Resurrection Gauntlet...glove...knife...Gwen Cooper."

"_You saved my life._"

Because you're worthless to me dead. _"Maybe I was brought back for something."_

Avery put an arm around him. "What about it? Marius?"

"Suzie...connected to Gwen by the Gauntlet and the Knife. She's like a...a leech...and I--" he groaned as more pain flowed through him, trying to assert itself through the partly-closed link. "connected. Has to stop. Make it stop."

Avery looked around then pulled out a small blanket nearby and wrapped it around him. "Can't you move into someone else's mind?"

He shook his head, his hair damp with sweat. "follow me. Can't risk it."

Avery sighed. "Stay here. I'll see what I can do."

Marius shuddered--

--the odd light that was within Gwen--

"hurry. She's seen me. Avery..."

Avery raced to her room in the hopes of seeing what she could find that might help him.

--

Marius didn't feel his head hit the wall. It hurt too much for him to notice as Avery pulled him away and blinked at the spot of red that was there as well.

"she's given it to gwen. You have to stop her," he muttered, half awake. "i can't protect her...I can't..."

"Shush you," Avery told him, "You're worse then Lilith."

The name made Marius shift and open his eyes briefly to look up at her. "Is she?"

"What?"

"Married. Her father is back, she's married to the Doctor."

Avery frowned at him. "Who told you that?"

"Yvenda."

_Remind me to not be nice to that one. _"It is. Cameron's back at being the Curator, and Lilith's a Field Agent, there to help the Doctor and observe a little more."

Marius blinked at her and Avery said, "It's nothing that either of them really wanted, but now they're stuck with it. I'm sorry."

Marius shuddered again, then said, "But...but she's fine. She's there helping him, there to ensure his safety. I can only watch..."

"Like she did."

Marius swallowed hard, then said, "I can be like her. I can help them from afar. I can save them."

Avery paused as she felt his once-erratic breathing calm, his whole body going from stiff to relaxed, and for a second panicked before she realized he wasn't giving up.

He was retreating into his mind to fight it.

Avery smiled. "Lilith will be proud of you. She would do such a thing. You're on the right track, young man."

--

Suzie wanted to live, to stay alive now. She wanted to keep herself alive, and it wasn't just Gwen that was doing it. Gwen, the one who replaced her, who was so much better then her...

_she is, now leave her alone._

Suzie ignored the odd male voice that seemed to be connected to Gwen in an odd way. The Gauntlet had given her a connection to his wonderful life force, the one that held her there and continually supplied Gwen with more.

_They're going to kill you, to stop you again._

She smiled as she dragged Gwen's body with her, racing to try and make it this time.

_He'll kill you this time...they'll kill you for hurting Gwen._

They couldn't. They wouldn't. Not when all that was left of Gwen Cooper was within her.

--

"_There's something in the darkness. There's something moving in the darkness, Captain Jack Harkness, and it's coming for you._"

Marius gasped as his whole body shot up into a sitting position, Avery stopping him from moving too much and checking him over. "Hold still!"

"The last Caretaker! Who was the last Caretaker?"

"What?"

Marius looked at her, his body pale and shaking, his mind obviously not there just yet, but still he asked, "Who was the last Caretaker?"

"I...I don't know. I don't know. Cameron might."

"I have to know," Marius said as his body started to relax, his head landing on Avery's shoulder as if his will to stay awake and work had been drained from waking up. "I have to."

Avery blinked and asked, "Why?"

"He's going to hurt them...he knows what's in the darkness...I have to warn them, and save them from it."

"What's in the darkness?" Avery asked.

"the son of the beast," Marius whispered, "my first assignment, the bitter pill, and the beast within it, trapped since before time. His son...his son is trapped under the Rift."

--

"Oh, I didn't need to see that from those points of view," Marius muttered as he opened his eyes and turned his head over to see Avery nearby, and himself in one of the beds she used to check patients with. "This is getting to be a sight I shouldn't be used to."

Avery shook her head. "No, you shouldn't. Even Lilith's not seen this place as many times as you have."

He slowly sat up and groaned. "Oh, I really didn't need to see that."

"What?"

"Ianto wanted to comfort Jack...and..." Marius blushed a deep red color before muttering, "I hate this connection."

"Oh?"

"I'm not going into it."

Avery raised up her eyebrows. "Not like I would be offended."

Marius got up and muttered something about going home in order to leave the area as Avery sighed before placing a call.

"_Hello?_"

"Cameron. We need to talk."


	5. Search for Reasons

**Four: **Search for Reasons

"The Rift? You mean Compline?"

"_I would suppose so. You realize it's changed since you left,_" Avery told her relation over the phone.

Cameron sighed, looking around the office. "So has a lot of things, I've seen. You didn't tell me my daughter was only half-Sidra now."

"_Oh? Well, slipped my mind when you decided to head out and give her a 'surprise'. Some surprise, I take it._"

"Avery..."

"_The new Caretaker was asking because he's afraid something bad is going to happen because of the old one. The Elders know the boy's uncovered enough plots and gotten himself on more people's bad-list then almost the Doctor himself, and that was _before _he became the Caretaker of the Rift._"

Cameron frowned. "Who is he?"

"_His name's Marius. He's a descendant of Seidra and has a connection to all of the members in Torchwood Three...all of his Clients._"

Cameron felt a headache as he leaned forward. "Isn't that dangerous for them?"

"_You have a file on one...Jack Harkness? The man who won't die and the one the Doctor is avoiding quite avidly._"

Cameron looked down and sighed. "Ah, that one. So he's using him to keep sane?"

"_Partly, but we're getting off subject. Recently one of their past friends decided to try and bring herself to life via another, one that Marius was connected to. Something she said or knew carried over and made him all but demand who the old Caretaker was. He wasn't caring before, just complaining about the lack of filing going on. Now, he's going as far back as he can looking for information. I told him I'd ask you, in case you knew anything._"

Cameron sighed. "I don't. I didn't know Compline very well, other then he was in charge of the Rift and he spoke just briefly with Lilith. This was during that instance with the Gelph and the Doctor."

"_And?_"

"And he seemed...odd. Like he didn't care too much about what was going on, just that the Rift was active and now known about by some Humans. He obviously was annoyed when that Human died a little while later and didn't speak about it."

He heard a sigh over the phone. "_Cameron, is there anything _useful_ that we could use?_"

A thought came to him. "Why are you so interested?"

"_I took care of your lovely half-breed of a daughter and now this boy Marius is getting in more trouble then he should. He used to deal with Krop Tor, you know, and now he has the Rift. He mentioned something about his first assignment now dealing with this one._"

The name sparked a quick memory as Cameron searched the files and found it. "The Beast?"

"_That one. He said the 'son of the Beast', and he was trying to get loose. Any ideas?_"

Cameron sighed. "Compline took care of the Rift since it's creation. He would know who or what that was, but why he would unleash it..."

"_What if he didn't. What if he used an avatar as the one who released it?_"

Cameron blinked. "What?"

"_I'm saying what if he didn't keep notes on the Rift because he didn't want anyone to find out what was going on, or what he wanted to do. So when he disappeared, Marius took over. But Marius is on the side of Torchwood...and his disappearance coincides with the Torchwood group, or at least that group, coming into power!_"

"Then...but that's a direct violation of...I can't count how many rules!"

"_Neither can I, but it's a hunch, and the way poor Marius' luck has been going, it's the only one I can go on._"

--

He sighed as he observed the group come in, giving the younger girl a smile as she passed before returning to the room. He needed to find the answer, and thus he had come to Cardiff as himself, gotten a small room, and began his search, happily hidden from the view of his Clients.

The return of the Sky Gypsy, an old plane thought lost in the Rift, told him something about it as he lay down on the bed. Could he find the one he was searching for? Could he do this?

_You should've asked yourself this before coming to Cardiff._

With a sigh, Marius turned over and went to bed.

--

Owen Harper had found love.

Well, in the least, someone who--

Marius sighed as he leaned against the wall, going to Gwen instead for something a little more substantial. No, this was love. A consuming, odd, and controlling type of love, one that Owen hadn't felt before.

But maybe it wasn't love?

Marius didn't know, having never fully been in love. The ones who were his Clients were just that: his connection to them giving him a private view of their lives or not. Miss Lilith was...inspiration. He did enjoy her company, he had had those dreams about her earlier, and he had even been sad to learn she had married. But she married the Doctor, and as such would keep and eye on him, ensuring his safety.

Gwen, for all of her running around with Owen, did love Rhys and wanted to stay with him, though she was unsure as to how to handle Torchwood, the very alien thing she did, and Rhys, who didn't believe in aliens.

Marius sighed again, wincing at the angst that came from Jack and his trials at helping the man from the 1950's adjust. The two were both out of their time, and Jack was doing what he could to help out. He also knew the other man wasn't adjusting to the new atmosphere like the girls were, both enjoying their time and the new things they found.

_You're going to lose him._

Marius knew a lost cause when he saw one. His family tended to have a lot of those, and this one would be no exception. He had lost everything, like all the others, and now all that was left was him.

He wouldn't try to go on, and Jack would have to deal with the new loss.

--

"Compline?"

"Thank Cameron for the name," Avery said, "but before that, where have you been?"

"I went to look around on Earth, make another report," Marius told her before coughing.

"You okay?"

"Yes, one of them is just sitting in carbon monoxide fumes while someone he feels responsible for dies, and I got a little from it. Oh, and Owen Harper is now officially more angst-ridden then Ianto was, which is a good cause for a headache in and of itself."

"Because of the angst?"

"Because it's Owen," Marius sighed as he finished the report and looked over at the name and small picture of the Sidra who ran the office before him then added, "He thinks it's love, anyway. He didn't want her to leave and she did, now he's angry at himself for letting her leave when he couldn't have stopped her and sad she chose to go on an adventure without him. I personally think she was scared of commitment and didn't feel the same way about Owen, which is why she left, and if it's come into a part of his mind that my idea is a reason, he's not acknowledging it."

Avery gave a small smile before patting him on the shoulder. "I love this even more then those trashy Earth soap-operas I once watched for fun. Tell me what comes up soon, will you?"

Marius nodded as he rubbed a crink out of the back of his neck and frowned. Where would someone like a Sidra hide? And why would they disappear now?

_They disappeared right before Suzie died. Then suddenly everything is up and almost exploited, or at least all of them are slowly getting placed in such a way they're emotionally charged. If that's true...but why? Why charge them all?_

Marius straightened. The one person who couldn't be charged emotionally into anything, not unless it was the 'right kind of Doctor' who told him it.

_He needs them to do something that only Jack can do now. And soon, Jack will be in his way, so he'll need to create a reason for them to join against him._

_And I can't warn them...but I can keep it controlled. I _will _keep it controlled. They will stop you, Compline. Count on it._

--

Owen Harper was still an idiot.

A rather large wanker, a prat, a...a...

Marius glared at the screen and rubbed his head as he tried to block out the enormous amount of angst that was still coming from Owen because of Diane. He was almost tempted to go and find her, drag her back, and make her fix the monumental emotional problem she had left in the form of Owen Harper just so he could get some peace.

The odd events had started off rather mundanely; Weevil racing around when it shouldn't be, and with only Jack on duty. This quickly escalated to Gwen having more problems then she should with Rhys, and started off that small bit of angst on her part that she pushed to the side as they searched for a kidnapped Weevil.

Well, for now, but it was one of the many things that Gwen put in her 'think about _later_' categories that was closest to his own mind, and thus he knew most of them dealt with Rhys and how to explain any of her job to him, if she could.

And she either couldn't or didn't figure out the right words to say for any of it, which caused Marius, in his spare time, to figure it out for her while Toshiko and Ianto were called in to help and Gwen was sent to try and fix her relationship with Rhys, if she could.

Owen spent his time being full of angst, not answering his calls, and starting bar fights.

Well, helping to ensure they kept between two people and ended quickly.

Marius sighed as he got up to pour himself some tea. One of the many things that was the only good side was the sudden appearance of random items that came from the others and helped him with his job. Jack's inability to rest fully, which made him stay up late and stay awake longer then anyone, and Ianto's tea-making skills.

_Probably because they're Hubs do I get this from them...the others I get emotions and thoughts and headaches._

Marius groaned at the thought as he sat back down to watch the goings-on of the group and hope nothing bad came of this.

--

Okay, this changed things.

Now Owen _and _Gwen were prats.

Marius rubbed his head before taking another sip of tea. He hadn't considered Gwen to take that type of action with Rhys, and now that she had...well, things were going to change for her, that was for sure.

As for Owen...

Owen was a headache and a half, on top of angst-ridden and suicidal. Marius was almost glad he hadn't been too connected to the man, but on top of the sudden clarity on how to end his suffering (death by Weevil), Owen also didn't take into account he was on a mission and how the others would've reacted to him dying.

The only thing that worried Marius was the fact that Owen was now the most unstable, and most likely to be targeted by Compline and whoever he was using as a avatar for his cause, whatever it may be. He had taken the time to ensure he could fight in case it came down to it, and use his own higher telepathic and psychic powers to good use against him.

He was still worried, though. The fact remained that Owen was now the prime one to be used. Through him, the others would be exploited and then...

_I don't want to think about what the son of the Beast can do. It was bad enough, dealing with the Beast._

The remembrance of the girl, dying before her time and drifting off into space, along with the collective deaths of the Ood and their screaming as they were used in such a way, caused Marius to shiver. That was the first mission observing, the first time he had met Lilith and learned that a Caseworker or Curator had to be impersonal, but not to the point of complete detachment. He learned the lesson well and was glad he had gotten a chance to work with her.

_And now she's married to the Doctor...her father is the Curator and she's a Field Agent. You're here as a Caseworker for a grouping of people who almost make the Doctor look normal, if not for the greater angst he feels. Oh, and you have Jack and Ianto—oh not again._

Blushing furiously upon realizing his random search for something sane had lead to Jack and Ianto being less then appropriate and just as shirts were gone, Marius decided he needed something to get the images out of his head.

Except this time they didn't go away. Hormones, curiosity, or just his own want to look into something sane within the insanity that Torchwood seemed to create caused him actually watch, though it was hard to do from both vantage points and sadly that's all he had. He couldn't go into one or the other's mind without probably being there until the end...which he wasn't planning on doing.

Pulling himself away when a hand (he couldn't, at this point, tell whose it was) went downward, Marius decided that he needed a cold shower and to hope he wouldn't ever have to discuss these things with anyone.


	6. Caretakers of the Rift

**Five**: The Caretakers of the Rift

"Do call again..."

"I would love to."

Marius started before realizing it.

Jack had made contact with Compline's avatar, and he was now in 1941 with Toshiko, and unable to get back unless Ianto and Owen got the right equations.

"SHIT," Marius cursed, not bothering with a Sidra one as he started to type in when he felt it again.

Gwen now met up with the _same _avatar.

_But he can't be. Even if given an extended life...he would _feel _different._

_What is Compline up to?_

--

"Captain Jack Harkness, 133 Squadron."

Marius flinched heavily at that before putting the palm of his hand up to his forehead. "Purple Matriarch..." He had known Jack Harkness wasn't the real name of Captain Jack, but he hadn't realized that meeting the man who's name he'd stolen and taken on would be so hard on Jack, and the surprise from Toshiko was...not helping.

"I hate this...but I need it."

He waited, trying hard to be only on the fringes before he got the name he wanted, the one he needed.

Bilis Manger...the avatar of Compline, the one they had run into twice now, who was manipulating them and later would manipulate the Rift.

_I need--_

_No, you don't..._

Marius started as he felt himself frozen in place, his heart racing as he looked over to where the other Sidra had appeared.

"Compline."

"You must be my replacement," Compline smiled at him, his dark eyes almost like that of an Earth shark as he slowly walked around the stuck Sidra. "What's your name, young one?"

"What do you care?" Marius asked, glaring at him from as far as he could look without breaking his own neck.

"I do, though. You're doing what you can to help those I need to test."

"Test?"

Compline nodded. "I ensured it was there just in case I needed one, and they pose the best for this test. A test of their loyalty, of their want to survive, and of how they react to those they've lost."

Marius' eyes widened. "You made her go through the Rift."

"Diane is a wonderful girl, and safe, don't worry. Ianto never would've gotten Lisa into hiding unless I had helped him along at times, and she wouldn't have reverted had I not...touched...a few items to help her programming along either. Toshiko's mother was already dead so it wasn't a problem. The only one is Jack." A glare, "I cannot create a convincing Doctor or Rose Tyler. I need them."

Marius felt his muscles twitch. "Why open the Rift? Why bring about that demon?"

Compline glared at him. "Because they _need _a test! Don't you see that? Because this test will ensure that they grow."

Marius' glare turned icy. "He'll kill them, and then he'll destroy the world!"

Compline gave a small smile. "Better him then what's coming. You've heard the sound too...the sound of drums, the beat of another Time Lord, forgotten by everyone including himself, and returned with the help of a silly Doctor and his lovely wife."

Marius felt himself freeze inside as Compline told him, "You'll be released when what I want is complete. Until then, enjoy the show."

Marius started to shout when his voice cut off in his throat and he could only watch as Compline disappeared.

--

_Leave them alone! Let me go!_

He screamed, trapped in his office as Toshiko and Jack tried to get back, while Owen's single-minded quest to open the Rift, to regain Diane and the others as a spare prize, while Gwen and Ianto, trying to think straight and clearly, did what they could to save the others without causing more damage.

And all the while Bilis played them, directed by Compline, and with Marius trapped in his office screaming in the hopes he could get free.

--

Owen opened the Rift, and the minute he did, Marius stumbled forward and then, not waiting, was out the door and heading to help his Clients.

_This isn't a test. It's torture...I don't care what it is that Lilith does in the hopes of maturing her own Clients. I don't care how bad it seems...destroying the world just to see if you can is _not _going to happen on my watch._

--

Marius hated being one step behind, and even with the authorization, as quick and flimsy as it was, to go to Earth to try and 'observe' or warn Chronometrics of what was going on, he was having trouble catching up with Bilis when ever time he stopped where the trace lead him, they threw the random people of that time, as well as the normal flotsam and jetsam of the Rift, at him and Torchwood.

Owen was cracked, shattered, and unable to function totally. Toshiko had already seen the 'ghost' of her mother created by Compline. Bilis was ready to kill to turn Gwen, their last step in stopping Jack and allowing them to fully open the Rift.

Marius started as he paused and then moved out of the way of the speeding Torchwood SUV. That was it.

They would open the Rift, and Bilis would be there to taunt them in the end. Bilis, who had set this all up, would ensure that they knew what he wanted them to do.

_And so will Compline._

--

Marius stumbled when Jack was shot and killed enough to keep him out for a good minute and half, and growled in frustration at the fact that Owen now showed he could and would kill someone if he had to. Of all the stupid--

_Loyalty..._

Marius stood and sighed. With enough stress and triggers, they would open the Rift. With a taunt from Jack when he shouldn't have, they shot him. Was that loyalty, or something else?

_Human nature...the Human Race is too complex to say anything of it. Their loyalty at that point wasn't to Jack or rules, but to the ones they loved._

_They only did this because it was too hard, so hard..._

He knew that. His mind ached and burned with that longing he had felt from all of them upon seeing the apparitions of their lost lovers, friends, and even more when Gwen, thinking Rhys was safe, found out instead she couldn't prevent the horrible death he had gone through.

And it was all Bilis and Compline's fault.

Fueled by that and the horror they felt upon realizing their errors, upon seeing that what they had hoped to accomplish was really nothing but the end of the world...he moved to where they would be, where they all stood glaring at Bilis, where he stood arrogantly proclaiming the coming of his demon lord, of the one that Compline had put under the Rift in order to test them at this point.

Compline wasn't hidden, but Marius was, and he waited until they looked up before moving and grabbing his fellow Sidra and the human avatar he had chosen then moving them to the very edge of the open Rift.

--

"You can't stop us!" Compline yelled as Marius set them down. "They've failed their test!"

"The great Abbadon has risen!" Bilis yelled as well over the storm of Time and Space around them, over the roars of the freed demon and the screams of those being killed before their time.

Marius glared at them then said, "They haven't failed. You have."

The two looked at him as Marius said, "You cared only about this final test, the one to end all tests. Can the Human race survive this, you think? Can they stop themselves when this temptation is so warped and changed that they must do it or lose all hope, and if they do then they lose themselves? This is an unfair test, and one not worthy of a Sidra. On top of that, you've broken too many rules to be brought back. If this is anyone's test, Compline, it was yours, and you've failed it."

Compline's body grew rigid as he glared at the younger Caretaker. "I? Those you coddle, those you--."  
"There is no need for it," Marius told him, then glared at Bilis, "or for you. There's no need for this because all that is needed is normal chaos, the everyday mundane things that we report on, the simple things turned into life-and-death, hope-and-loss situations. No one personifies it more then them. All they have done is to survive and move on, to put this past that is so hurtful behind them, to _live_. You would take that from them for a test in which _everyone_, not just Torchwood or those living on the Rift without consent or knowledge, fails no matter what?"

Compline looked at him, then shook his head. "You're too young. You don't realize it. What good is hope, or the chance of winning? The cards are always stacked against them, will always be. This is a test and they have always been meant to fail it. Abbadon is my Client, and through him, through my avatar Bilis, we have shown that the Human race is weak. With the Rift open, we can now show how weak the rest of Universe is."

Marius looked at him, then sighed. "You're a fool."

"What? What do you know?"

Marius looked up at him then said, "My first assignment was Krop Tor, the Bitter Pill, which was a planet that revolved around a black hole. Within it, trapped by the same ones who trapped your Client, was my first one. The Beast himself."

He saw their surprise before Marius said, holding up a hand and looking at Bilis. "Here, go and meet him."

A telepathic push sent Bilis over the edge as Compline blinked then turned back to him. "What are you doing?"

"What the Doctor did, what the Humans did, what every one with a sane point of view does. Protect their Clients, serve them, and report on them. You manipulated those who are caretakers of the Rift, not by right but by choice. You've murdered and brought in a human for the sole purpose of rigging a deck and making them lose, of killing them off just because you want to, because you think we can."

Compline yelled at him, "WE CAN! WE, the Sidra race, one of the oldest, older then any other race, who wrote and recorded the very makings of the Universe, of Time itself in this one, of those who trapped the Beast and his Son and their brethren in cages, of those who witnessed all the Time Wars and were affected by them. We have _every _right to do this, to destroy those unworthy of continuing on! The Human race, resilient as they are, doesn't deserve it more then my Client! They are too flawed!"

Marius straightened, within his mind the choice and decision of Captain Jack resounding. "They are, but for all their flaws, they do what they can to atone for it. They do what they must to repent. They will do what they have to do in order to keep themselves and others alive. As they move on and learn more, they will become one of the greatest races in the known universe. It's any wonder all other races look at them and wonder, or that those who travel the universe enjoy having Humans as companions. For everything they are, they will do what they must to protect those they care for. Just as I will do what I must to deal with you."

Compline moved and Marius did at the same time, the ending movement being Marius holding Compline by his neck over the Rift as it howled around them, Compline's fingers digging into his hand and causing a long line of blood to flow downward.

"He won't save them! Whatever that Captain is, he is not Human."

Marius glare at him. "Who else is there? Who else is there trying to harm those within my group?"

Compline said simply, "A Master, a Time Lord. He will do it, unless we allow Abbadon to succeed, and by his side will be that pretty little girl you care for so much...she will be his ally and downfall."

Marius looked at Compline, then touched his mind. Yes, Compline was telling the truth.

"Then I will do what I must."

Marius released Compline and said simply, "I will do what I must, because she gives tests that are not stacked against her Clients. She gives them and hopes for the best, though her luck is never that. And I will give her what support I can in it."

--

Marius was glad he could throw his report into the file psychically, because the minute that Jack went to face Abbadon he knew that there was not going to be a good thing going on in his mind.

The closet was padded, and he was only just able to lock it and put a rag into his mouth when his whole body arched through shared pain and he screamed.

--

"By all that is Good and Sacred and Not Sacred and everything in-between, Marius!" Avery shouted, as she had when she found the list of the possibly dead after that incident with Compline and Cameron had told her about Jack. While he usually watched just over the Doctor, and was having a time about something else that came up with Lilith, he sometimes also checked on the Doctor's old Companions, usually to see how they were doing or what they were doing. Jack and Rose Tyler seemed to be the most interesting at that point, and after she had called for Marius anyway, he called her to tell her, simply, that Jack wasn't waking up for a while.

Knowing the type of havoc that could cause a Seidra-clan mind like that of Marius, Avery had tracked him down to his locked storeroom closet, but it was deadlocked and sealed...until Marius chose to open the door, he'd be in there.

So Avery pounded on the door and yelled for him to come out and get help, to find a way to get help, to _live _because that's what his other Clients needed.

No sign, no response, nothing, and Avery couldn't get the medical help she needed to force it open either.

She'd have to wait it out, or wait him out, and she did so by research into her niece's activities, by waiting and doing her usual task, right before she got the note that Marius had opened up the door and left his office on business that would take him a while.

Avery looked at the note and sighed. "Earth again? What's so important down there?" A turn of the channel made her pause and look closely before she got up and raced to find Cameron and find out what, exactly, was going on with his Clients and the Earth this time.


	7. Impossible Future, NonExistant Year

**Six**: Impossible Future, Non-Existent Year

"What is it with him?" Avery asked as she headed over to Cameron's office.

"Who?"

"Marius! He's getting permission to head to Earth and help out his Clients. I was able to find out what was going on, enough to recommend he go there."

"Why?" Cameron asked before stopping and blinking at a report. "Oh."

"_OH? _His Client, a HUB that keeps him sane and who just caught a ride with _your _Client in order to get _answers _he should've had in the first place. On top of that...the Master, Cameron? That one caused enough problems with you and your wife, and now not only is he back, but he's Prime Minister and he sent Marius' group to the Himalayas! He's off to ensure he can save them just in case. Should we be worried?"

Cameron looked over at the report, or pretended to, then told her simply, "Yes. We should be _very _worried, not just for Marius and his Clients, but for Lilith and her husband."

--

Marius ran, cursing the timing, cursing how long it had taken, thanking Avery for all she had done to make it possible, and wondering if Lilith would be fine.

_She has to be._

He heard the sound of a song, then drums and his body ached as he raced, hurting throughout his body as Jack woke up and he realized they couldn't win with that plan, but hoped the Doctor had a new one.

The sphere came and Marius, breathing hard as he felt one start to cut into him, slowed down time.

--

Toshiko woke with a headache, then woke fully when she remembered the whole of it. The odd things, the Toclafane, coming at them as they tried to run, as Owen and Gwen tried to shoot them down and the spheres laughed then shot--

"Tosh!" Gwen's voice caused her to look over and smiled. They were all alive.

_We're all alive._

She blinked upon seeing the strange man that was lying down on the ground, his shirt opened and his body wrapped up, blood soaking some of the areas. He was normal height, his hair dark blond and his slacks and shoes not made for being in this area.

"Who is he?" she asked, moving over to check on him as well.

"We don't know," Owen told her, "We all woke up, and he was there. When I woke up, Gwen was trying to keep him alive. Ianto's getting something quickly for food. We hid in the cave, but...those things, they've taken over the world. What we can tell is that Saxon is being it, and he's...he's not human. How the bloody hell--?"

"We've been through this," Ianto told them as he walked in, handing Toshiko a small mug of cold water. "We can't tell or contact anyone, not without alerting those things where we are, and he hasn't woken up yet."

Gwen sighed. "I wish Jack were here."

"with the doctor..."

The group jumped as the man moaned and slowly opened his eyes, revealing blue eyes that seemed to be much older then the man looked.

"Who are you?" Owen asked.

"Marius," the young man said quietly, looking over at Owen.

"Why are you here?"

"to save you from those things. I had to."

"Why?" Gwen asked.

"It...it's important," he said, "to me."

Ianto blinked then said, "I know that voice. From Brecon Beacons...you were the one in my head!"

Marius looked over at Ianto and nodded, then stiffened and groaned.

"The thing, the splinter. I saw what Toshiko saw when she was running away, didn't I?"

A stiff nod as Owen checked Marius' vitals.

"What was it?"

"A connection...to all of you. I had to come here and ensure you would live."

"He's slipping," Owen said matter-of-factly as Toshiko decided to ask her own question.

"Why us? Why not Jack, or someone else? Why us?"

"To keep me sane..."

The eyes closed and the group looked over at the boy as his body twitched and his eyes moved behind the lids, as if he was stuck somewhere else.

"Oh bloody hell," Owen muttered as he moved to keep Marius alive, Toshiko helping as Gwen moved out of the way then asked.

"What did that mean? Keep him sane?"

Ianto frowned before saying, "When he was in my head, it was odd. Like he did what he could to help me. Remember, I was supposed to have had a concussion and didn't, and half of my wounds were fine in a few days. He was in there to make sure I was fine...so what if his connection is with all of us and he _feels _what happens to us?"

Gwen then blinked before saying, "When I brought back Suzie, when I had the headache...for a while, I thought there was something trying to keep me alive, trying to keep her out of my energy. I did hear his voice too...he yelled my name, got me to release Suzie at a point even though she was still alive."

"Then he knows about all of us, he should take us to Jack," Owen said.

Toshiko shook her head. "What if Jack's in danger? I read him when I had that necklace, but I didn't have anything. So what if he does have a connection, but it's more then just reading us? What if he's part of our subconscious, including Jack?"

"I am."

"You need rest, mate," Owen told the slowly-waking Marius.

"No time. I need to tell you all this, to make sure you're fine. I was called back."

"Back where?" Toshiko asked.

"Back from observing. I have to tell you everything that happened, to make sure that you're ready for this. You need to start a resistance, and we have to get to where Martha Jones is."

"Who?" Ianto asked.

Marius smiled. "A friend of the Doctor's. She has the plan, and you just need to give her the parts."

"Well, you're too weak for anything," Gwen said.

Marius shook his head. "No. I can do this. Hold my hand."

--

"Sidra?"

Marius nodded towards the newest of the group, a dark-skinned girl who had escaped the_ Valiant. "_They'll be looking for you but with the item the Doctor gave you, you'll be fine. I have to report in to what's going on, and have been called back because of it. But in the meantime, I've convinced the sphere-things that these five are dead. They don't see them either as long as, like you, they do things that keep them unnoticed, but you'll need them to help you out."

Martha sighed and nodded. "What do we need to do? We have to figure out a way to get close to the Master, to save the Doctor and the Earth, which sound easy."

Owen snorted. "Bloody simple, compared to what we've done..."

"And me with the Doctor..." Martha sighed at that and shook her head. "We can do this. We have to."

Ianto slowly pulled out the small items. "It's not a real gun...originally, Torchwood One wanted to create a weapon in case they needed it against the Doctor or any other Time Lord, but it failed and was simply put in as a possible distraction. We also couldn't get the right compound for the last liquid needed. However, it's real enough that you could convince him it's a threat."

Martha nodded and took it from Ianto, shoving into the small pack she had. "Where should I start?"

Gwen looked over at the others then said, "We'll head out on our own. Help you out and get others to start a resistance. We can do this."

Toshiko nodded, the group looking at Marius before Martha said, "The other Sidra...Lilith. Was she--."

"She has her own agenda," Marius told her, "and I have mine. Trust me, whatever she does isn't as bad as some of the other Sidra I've met."

Martha met Marius' eyes before nodding. "Right then. Let's start."

--

"Your worse then my niece," Avery told him as she ensured his back had healed, "and the way things are going, you might need a new body soon. This one is getting it's fair share of scars."

"They've all healed up well," he muttered as he put his shirt back on and hissed after moving his arm one way.

"What's wrong?"

"Shared pain from Jack," he told her, then waved it off. "It's fine. The group is safe and he's not going to be killed either. I guess the Master would rather torture him and the others instead of just outright killing them."

Avery frowned. "Don't sound so happy about it. Lilith's stuck there too, and this isn't going to be something she'll recover from easily."

"I know," he told her, "and while I'd say I was sorry for her, it was her idea to do this. The consequences are on her...but I'm not going to say she should have to deal with everyone disliking her, like I know they will."

"Why do you say that?"

"She's doing her job to a degree. She feels this is what's needed and gets enough approval to go through with it. If things are messed up because of it, that's not her fault. Considering the other two Caretaker's I've had to deal with, she's at least _doing _her job. Those two..." Marius took in a breath. "She's getting too much attention just because she was Curator and is now the Field Agent for the Time Lords, and because of all they've done. At least in the end, things turn out good. I just hope he doesn't break her heart."

"Hearts."

Marius blinked at Avery as she continued, "Her body has two hearts, Marius, and will because of the Time Lord DNA she got from him. It's rather interesting."

Marius paused at that then said, "Either way...I just hope he doesn't break her heart...or hearts. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

Avery shook her head. "For someone who has five others in his head, you're uncommonly romantic about this, you know. Do you secretly want to be my niece's husband instead?"

Marius flushed a deep red before he said quickly, "She's happy with the Doctor. Why would she want me? I'm _dull_, compared to him."

Avery shrugged. "Either way, it would've been nice for her."

"No," Marius said, "I don't think it would be. But it's nice of you to think that, Avery. Anyway, I have to go. Reports to write, a resistance to help head, that sort of thing. Thanks for everything."

Avery nodded as he left and she looked skyward. "Gods, I wonder about that boy. Still, he's quite nice. I hope my niece realizes how much she should appreciate him later on, and returns that large favor she already owes him."

There was a long pause before Avery smacked her palm against her forehead. "Oh Purple Matriarch, what did I just jinx them with?"

--

It was an odd task, putting himself into the mind of Ianto Jones as many times as he could to assess the situations that came up. He also had to deal with watching the horrors that the Master felt like pushing upon the human race in order to do what he could and build a new empire.

Jack, like the Jones family and the Doctor, seemed to be trapped in a type of torment where they were humiliated, horrified, and terrorized almost daily and not in that order by the Master himself.

Marius had taken to keeping long hours, writing what he could from the perspective of the Torchwood group, both inside the _Valiant _and in the resistance, as Martha Jones traveled the world and spread her word.

In a year, at the countdown, everyone was to think, to say, the name of the one who helped her become their salvation. If she was the Saint, he was the God behind her.

Saint Martha Jones, herald of the Doctor.

_I'm getting a little ahead of myself in this,_ he thought as he watched the scenes, _and she's not...she's at the point where she's coming back home now._

Ianto had already told the resistance of the return of Martha Jones, and Gwen had ensured a small leak, allowing for the Master to hear it. He wouldn't be able to find her just yet, which was the good news. The bad news, though, was that for this to work, they had to rely on the Master's over-developed sense of showmanship when it came to the Doctor's Companion, as well as the one person giving humanity hope from their new state.

Of course, there was one thing that nagged at his mind, and that was what he knew of how Lilith was acting around the Master.

_**Are you sure she's...not evil?**_ Ianto had asked him once after the burning of the Japanese Islands, and he wasn't sure how to answer that. He knew Lilith enough that she would do what she could for her clients, but when she now had two and they were so different from one another?

_I have faith in her_, he had told Ianto instead, _but not so much in her clients._

Marius sighed as he shifted in his seat, looking at the date. It would soon be a year to the day Martha Jones had left the _Valiant_, he had gone to Earth in order to save the rest of the Torchwood group, and that the Master had taken control. The Doctor's plan was about to take effect, and he could only hope it would work.

_**Hey!**_

Marius jumped at the sound and blinked before realizing who it was that had yelled at him.

_**I know you're there, so talk to me!**_

_What do you want?_

_**I was wondering how my friends were.**_

_I don't keep tabs on the Doctor and the Caretakers of that other Earth glare at me when I'm not even in the room. I wouldn't know._

There was what sounded like an annoyed snort from the other end. _**I meant my team.**_

_They're alive._

_**Could you be more specific? Like **_**alive and well**_** or **_**aliveish **_**or—you know, something?**_

Marius sighed and leaned back in his chair, thinking about a response to this before saying, _I saved them, and the Toclafane are ignoring them in general. They're helping to lead the resistance, as well as helped Martha get back to England. They're all worried about you as well, but I've only been able to tell them that you're on the _Valiant _and there's no way to save you, plus had to explain that if they did it __would be worse torture for you then what they've tried to do. I can pass on a message but I somehow doubt it'll be remembered when you return everything to normal._

There was a small laugh from the other side. _**Martha told you that, huh? It was fun...being with the Doctor again, doing all of this, but...I miss them. I'm worried about them but also proud none of them were caught, or even found. I'm proud and want to do what I can for them. Still, they're going to be pissed at me when I come back.**_

_You could try, I don't know, _talking _to them and explaining things._

A snort of annoyance. _**Why? Who I was is not who I am now. I know now that Rose gave me life and didn't mean it, but with this I have a purpose. I know the Doctor can't really take me anywhere but he at least knows where I am and is taking care of himself to a degree. I'm not the conman I was, nor am I a Time Agent anymore. I'd **_**like **_**those three years back, and to redo a few things, but I'm not about to get ahead of myself on it. Right now, I just want to know they're okay and you're watching over them.**_

Marius looked at the computer screen and report then told Jack, _I am, and they're fine. Ianto misses you, and so does Gwen._

He could hear the smile. _**I'm glad. Those two...those two are probably the two I can't be without anymore. Owen...well, I did hire him. He's a great guy, if a prick, and Toshiko has grown a lot since I met her. I'm glad they're alive. I'm glad they're okay.**_

Marius decided against telling him what had happened during the short amount of time he was gone and the group had been working without him. _Save your strength for the return to normal, Jack. You'll need it._

--

"Gotcha!" Avery said with some triumph as she grabbed Marius just before he entered the closet of his office, "you're not getting away with it _this _time!"

"Professor Avery, please!"

She gave him a quick shake as she quickly transported both of them to her small room, where a comfortable bed, complete with light straps to help hold down people comfortably, were. "I won't here of it again, Marius. You're not going to go insane just because of them. They can take care of themselves, and the fact that a Paradox Machine is about to be destroyed and a whole year lost for everyone, you need to stay here and make sure you're ready for it!"

Marius gave the bed a dubious look. "Are you--."

"IN!"

Marius started to move away from the bed when Avery bodily shoved him in, taking the time to wave her hand and allow the straps to fasten themselves of their own accord.

"AVERY!"

Avery cast the younger Sidra a glare. "This is for your own good, Marius. I'm not about have you hurt yourself by hiding in that fitted closet every time one of your clients gets themselves hurt, dies when they shouldn't, or anything close to that. Now I'm going to help you through this because I studied up on it, and on top of that you need to stay sane."

"Professor..."

"MY NIECE IS ABOUT TO BE AS DEPRESSSED AS HER FATHER WAS RIGHT BEFORE HE EXPLODED HIMSELF, SO YOU WILL BE AROUND TO STOP THAT, UNDERSTOOD?"

"yes." Marius paused as his head fell back against the pillow. "Ow."

"What?"

"Jack just headed for the Paradox Machine, and the others are thinking of the Doctor. It's...ow."

"You're not very talkative, are you?"

Marius started to retort when his eyes closed and his face contorted in barely-concealed pain. Avery quickly headed over and touched Marius' hand. "Marius, now what?"

"Toclafane...protecting the TARDIS."

"And Jack raced right into them, didn't he? I don't care if he can survive a javelin, the man is going to get a piece of my mind, next I run into him. Now hold still, Marius, I have the doses needed--."

"AH!"

"Oh---" not being able to think of just one curse, Human or Sidra, Avery set on all of them as she hurried to finish what she hoped would help this boy out.

--

"Repeat that to me again, and in normal terms."

Avery looked skyward as the last clasp was unfastened and Marius sat up in the bed. "I added in a few things that one of my ancestors found would help in such situations. Not that Paradoxes and those with a telepathic feedback are connected to people often, but half the time they're from your ancestor's line, so--."

"Thanks."

"Of course."

"It was sarcasm."

"I know."

Marius sighed and flexed his wrists. "So the connections are...dimmed?"

"With the exception of the one who rode back through the Paradox, as well as your other Hub to an extent, yes. Since they seem like doors to you, consider it like being able to close the door and block it, but the deadbolt's been set. If they push hard enough, they can open it up if you close it, but the rest of the time it's all up to you."

As he stood and happily found the ground solid beneath his feet, Marius cast another look at the bed then asked, "And the bed?"

"I was kinky when I was younger, it runs in the family. Now, I think Lilith should be back from that royal snafu that came up, so I suggest you go and comfort her before she gets too depressed and _Cameron _has to try and comfort her. The man may be her father but he is incredibly dense at times. You'd think an exploded head would make up for that, but _nooo..._"

--

Marius looked at the small items in his cupboard and sighed. So much for that dinner idea he was thinking of...well, he could just give her tea. Tea always helped people, right? And who could turn it down?

He smiled as he quickly got the kettle and water out, setting to find himself with a good helping of tea that came in various colors, flavors, and shapes before deciding something sweet too, like crackers or little cake-things would help as well. He had to have that _somewhere_.

Finding a few Earth Fig Newtons and some other treats, he was happy when the tea kettle whistled and he gingerly picked it up, making sure it was perfect before he actually stepped back and looked at the arrangement. Where had he--

_Oh..._

Ianto Jones, when he had first come to Torchwood Three and they learned he not only was good at almost everything, but also made coffee and tea that was some of the best this side of the universe (even for Jack, who had tasted a lot of coffee and tea in his time), he was given the job. And while it earned him the slightly annoying nickname of 'tea boy' from Owen, he took pleasure in the routine, just has he had from making sure Lisa was okay, or that everyone's needs were met. He and Toshiko were often left in the Hub, and then more often he was left as Toshiko became part of the team. After Lisa and everything, Jack had slowly pushed Ianto into the team, and thus the routine that he had established of staying behind and having everything ready was interrupted.

But not really. In reality it was still there, still something he did even after he became part of the team, even after Jack disappeared and he went out with them and did more. Still, he always made sure everyone had their tea or coffee, that it was how they liked it, and that it was very much like this setup.

"How much of them is in me already?" Marius mused as he looked at the setting. Jack preferred coffee, but he liked tea, like Ianto did. He tended to enjoy a lot of the same things Ianto did, but he had originally just thought that was because Ianto was a Hub and thus rubbed off on him and besides, Ianto would've made a good Caretaker or Field Agent had he been born a Sidra. Now it appeared there was a little more to that.

With a very curious thought, Marius touched into his own mind and nearly blinked at what he saw.

The connections to the other three were smaller, like they had been ripped and reworked into the same area while Jack's was the same, a type of eye of the storm.

Ianto's was the strangest, a type of tie that bound everyone's together but was apart from Jack's Hub.

_Probably because it happened due to that concussion_, Marius thought as he examined it again. More of Ianto seemed to have bled in when the connection was rewired then anyone else's, making it's way into him and becoming part of his mind without him even realizing it.

Taking a deep breath and drawing on Ianto's experience at smoothing things out when people got depressed or ready for a fight, Marius picked up the small tray and made his way to where Avery said Lilith would be sulking.

--

If there was one thing about the mountain, it was remote, alone, and pretty much as gloomy as one needed it to be if someone wanted to stay there and feel sorry for themselves for a long time.

Checking once more to make sure everything was good, Marius started up the trail when he heard, "What are you doing here?"

He paused long enough to see Yvenda standing nearby, looking at him oddly.

"I should ask the same question."

"I came to make sure she was still out of the way and not causing anymore damage then she already has. Same for you?"

Marius didn't return her smile before instead turning away and heading up the path. He had known that Yvenda and Lilith were not the best of friends...or even on good terms with each other, but this was getting things to become more then a little out of hand.

Another sigh escaped him as he walked up to where he knew Lilith would be, an itch in his back from the remembered pain of the last time he had gone anywhere near mountains and what he had encountered there. Near God-like powers had helped in that situation, but this one was a little more volatile.

He paused at the entrance of the cave and looked in, hoping to see some sign of life. "Hello? Lilith?"

True to any natural cave or dwelling of those wishing to be left alone, all that returned was a slight echo of his words and he slumped his shoulders before straightening and walking in, "It's me, Marius. I've just come to see if you're okay."

He paused as he reached the part of the cave that seemed lived-in, if evidenced by the small amount of gear that allowed a spartan lifestyle: a small camp fire for cooking and heat, a burner with a small pot on it, a bedroll that had been left out, and one or two other things. A small diary, closed and standard-issue of any good Sidra, also was nearby and he frowned at it before shaking his head. "Like I need to read anything."

Finding a good-sized area, he set the tray down before sitting himself, looking around for any sign. "I'd like to see you too, you know. I do know you're here, and not just because Avery told me. I'm from Seidra's line...I can feel you _mentally_. It's...I've seen worse."

A voice finally broke the silence of the cave, familiar but full of malice. "Oh, so you can feel me, huh? How do you like it?" There was a pause before the voice came back, this time different and full of pain. "I'm a failure, Marius, and I don't want anyone to see me until I've gotten this right once and for all. Because if you can see me, feel me, you'll know that even though I did my best to save him, to redeem myself after all I've done, I've still lost. "

Marius looked around but failed to find Lilith or where the voice, which echoed in the cave, was coming from. "I understand, but you need to have someone to help you through this. You can't do everything by yourself and shutting people out won't help you. I should know...I have five people in my head who shut themselves away from the others, who keep secrets, who think they can work things out on their own, and they've had to have their fair share of falls, of disgraces, to learn that they can rely on the others." He waited a minute then said, "I saved them from the first day of the invasion. In my head are their memories of that year that never was, and because of it I had to go through a mental hell of having those connections cut, rewired, and returned to me. The only one still in tact is Jack's, and trust me, if the Doctor thinks he has issues he has a good runner-up in Captain Jack."

There was a sudden hitch of breath despite his attempt at humor. "But... just the way he looked at me. In the very end, the look in his eyes and what he said to me... do you know what he said?"

"Nothing that will help my opinion of him, I suppose."

He felt and heard something that caused him to turn and blink at the view before him. Lilith, who he had first met with a mess of a sonic rifle on his desk and various items while she reworked it's ammo to use only her own energy, now looked like she had gone through years of the hell that had just happened, and not in the comfort he knew she had been partly given. Her hair was tossed and messy, her skin paler then usual and giving her an unhealthy look, her clothing dirty from not being washed and with a few small holes here and there from the owner obviously not caring. The circles under her eyes spoke of her sleepless nights as well as the newest addition to her haunted and traumatized being. Staring into his eyes, keeping him mesmerized by the transformation she had undergone, she told him, "He looked at me like I was the worst piece of trash he'd ever seen, Marius, and he said this.." she sighed, looking down and breaking the spell, but not before he had seen enough from that, "'Don't touch me.'"

He waited, having seen the reenactment of the scene that caused her so much pain in her mind, stuck at the front of it while behind it a familiar four-part beat seemed to thump, like an erratic heart striving to work. It was odd to see and hear that, knowing to a degree what it meant and not understanding his feelings now. Before, when it had only been her name and a mental image, Marius had taken that as a banner, as the symbol of one who did what they could for their Client and that he had to follow the example of, and through that he had gained the courage and mental strength to help Gwen when she had been connected to Suzie.

"He doesn't know what he's done to you, does he? He didn't realize how much he can hurt someone because of his own sense of worth. I should know, wouldn't I? I have two who don't see him as the savior he thinks he is. Or maybe he only thinks that because he _has _to, to make up for all he did and all that was done. In his name or against him, by aliens or Time Lords...or those who are supposed to watch over him anyway, and remember him because everyone else wrote him off for dead."

The last words seemed to cause a reaction, as Lilith looked up again at him and this time he had to blink and try to not look at her eyes, as the four-time beat became a little louder for a second as her eyes flashed with a type of maniac glee before she told him, her voice shaking and almost a snarl. "But don't you see, Marius? It was all my fault in the first place! I did something foolish and stupid, and now I'm having to pay for it. And oh, how I've paid."

Marius stopped himself from audibly swallowing by instead looking around the room then back to a spot off of Lilith's left shoulder. "So I noticed. You've gone down in life, that's for sure, and you need to probably be seen by Professor Avery again, in case of lice."

_Yes, because that strategy of insulting with a slight flirt works _so well _for Captain Jack...and Ianto. I wished I wasn't so much like them anymore...but I need to help her. I need to make sure she knows that others care for her, that it's not just _his _opinion of her that matters!_

The comment brought a sneer that didn't suit her. "Lice, Marius? Pests are the least of my worries, and I'm staying here until I've killed them all off." A pause as her head tilted and the sneer turned into a type of sinister smile. "Unless, of course, you think you can change my mind? Or maybe you're going to drag me out." The smile faded into a glare, "Well, you can just bloody try it, boy. Who do you think is responsible for that little miracle back on the _Valiant_?"

Marius steeled himself and looked her in the eye. "I know it was you. I wasn't there and I was going through my own mental hell, but I knew it was you. Even if Jack wanted to credit the Doctor, he knew it was more than him as well. Time Lords, for all their nature and powers, are not demi-gods, and Jack knows about us. But least you forget as well, Lilith, I'm not a boy anymore. I am a Caretaker of the Rift on Earth, and thus of Torchwood Three, the Hub in Cardiff, and all those within it. I put an end to a Caretaker who allowed cannibals to roam free and who nearly killed Yvenda, and I'm sure you're sorry they didn't fully succeed in that. I was the one who held Compline over the open Rift and then dropped him in for what he did to my Clients. And while you're not my Client, I consider you a friend, and I don't care what you say or do, I _will _help you get through this. He's not worth anything you're doing to yourself, and certainly," he waved his hand around the cave, "neither of them are worth _this._"

The odd light that had made Marius worried receded a bit as Lilith's face took on a desperate and nearly horrified quality. "But I hear it, Marius. Drums. In my mind...they won't stop. Like he's watching me and laughing..." she shuddered suddenly as her eyes turned watery from unshed tears. "How can you stop that? I can't..."

With slow purpose, Marius stood and said, "I can't stop anything in my mind. When you remembered the knives coming at you, the whirling, the _feeling _of becoming a Cyberman, I saw that. It haunted me for a week afterward, and I know it's stuck in there, just like those drums that I hear faintly, like a radio station playing loudly in the car next to me. I also hear Gwen's anger and resentment of Jack who left them without a word, I hear Owen's slow return to sanity and his want to change so he isn't hurt again. I hear Toshiko slowly moving in her role, testing it and unsure, I hear Ianto wanting to help them and enjoying his time as that team-member now but hating the idea of taking life, of seeing lives being taken. And I hear Jack, confident and happy about his team, at ease with himself, and angry at the Doctor. Angry because that man should take more consideration for those he leaves behind, because he saw how Martha Jones looked at the Doctor, and how you did, and he _knows _the Doctor is only thinking of a woman he can never have again, is not letting go when everyone else is."

There was a pause of silence before Lilith gave an embarrassed eye roll before saying, a little sheepishly, "I suppose I really have become transparent, haven't I? I can dally all I want, but ultimately I'll always go running off after the one thing I can't have..."

Marius gave a small shrug. "So did Jack. That got him to the end of the universe and to learn he was a Fact, and that the Doctor is cheeky in his new incarnation. Also got him to realize he enjoys being in Torchwood more then traveling with the Doctor. Misses parts, sure, but in the end he does it in Torchwood and must figure it out himself, not just rely on someone else to do it for him." Marius paused at that. "I really need to stop praising him. Even _Jack _doesn't praise himself this much." He looked back at Lilith and motioned to the tray on his feet. "I brought tea, and some food, if you're up for it."

Lilith gave a nod and joined Marius, sitting across from him at the small improvised table. "Tea is nice - and I mean real tea, not this strange stuff I've been making out of bark or whatever." A quiet sigh, then, "Okay, then, since you seem to have all of the answers - where do I go from here? Do I keep just throwing myself up against the glass, hoping it'll break but instead just leaving myself a bloody mess?"

Marius paused at this, thinking it through and going into the experiences of the others before saying, "I would tell you that a rock or something heavy to throw at the glass would do wonders, and that's what friends are for, but then I'd have to warn you that another, thicker pane of glass will appear instead. Like a shooter game or one of those horror flicks that Earth people like so much...no matter how much you might kill something off, another, worse thing is waiting nearby to cut you in half and brutally murder you. But again, others might be there to help you out how they can, even if they fall with you. I'm pretty sure I won't be too far behind in this level of...um...comfort should one of the Torchwood group die suddenly."

His speech had caused Lilith to look at him almost owlishly before she blinked and shook her head, giving him a dry grin. "You've got the strangest metaphors for things, Marius, but I think I get the picture." She paused as she reached for one of the cookies and gave him a sly raise of one eyebrow. "You know, I have got that rifle..."

"You'll have to constantly change the settings, and it was a _metaphor_, not an invitation to break random glass windows or anything..." He sighed and checked on the tea. "I have something called lapsang souchong, I hope it's okay."

Lilith watched him pour the tea as she muttered, "I was being facetious, ass. And of course that's okay. I shouldn't be surprised that you know what my favorite kind of tea is."

Marius blinked at her, genuinely surprised. "It is?" He poured himself a small cup and took one of the cookies as well. "Sorry, but I only get small feeds on people at times. I got more on you because you're...projecting. I didn't realize it was until you said it."

Lilith now looked at him as she blew on the tea to cool it down. "So this is your grand rehabilitation plan? Tea, cookies, and repressed, smoldering emotion?"

"I could've done what Jack does and just toss you back to work in the 'sink or swim' method, but that worked out _so well _for Ianto I decided you didn't need to go through a phrase where suicidal thoughts kept you going." Marius sighed. "Having him as a Hub was an accident to begin with, and somehow a few of his actions creep into my own easily. The tea and cookies thing," he motioned to the tray, "would be something he would do. He knows when and where to offer a hug or shoulder to cry on, and he's completely empathic to the situations around him. That makes him good for a friend, bad for someone who has to shoot things. So I'm taking the Ianto approach: give them something they enjoy, listen to their woes, back off until you feel they're fine. If that doesn't work, try the Jack approach, which means I'd be more of an ass then I think you can deal with now."

Lilith looked over at him, sipped some of her tea, then nodded before saying, "Cookies are good, then..."

"Like I said before, I match your Doctor with five members of Torchwood and we call it even." He drank some of his own and looked back over at her. "Better or would you like to vent again?"

Lilith glanced at him over the rim of her mug before she muttered into it, "All I've got to vent about now is nothing you want or need to hear about. Frustrations, mainly. That sort of thing. Your choice."

Marius gave her a warm smile. "It's what I'm here for." He took another cookie before adding, "Besides, you don't need to hear mine."

Lilith sipped a little more before muttering again, "But I'll bet yours don't have to deal with guilt, nudity, adultery, and various naughty uses for office supplies..."

Marius looked at her and turned red before coughing. "Actually...yes, they all do." He quickly drank more tea but felt his cheeks still heated as he realized that she was looking at him oddly. He finally said, as way of clarification, "Well, the 'office supplies' was really Jack's office and a stopwatch..."

"Ah. Well, so long as it didn't involve rubber bands and creative placement of gator clips, then we're somewhat out of the woods..."

Marius coughed again. "Yeah, right...can we leave it at 'anything you can do, Jack has done twice in a day and standing on his head?' And if he hasn't done it, Owen has."

Lilith seemed to be amused by his new red skin tone and gave an idle shrug. "Then some day I must compare notes with these esteemed gentlemen. It seems their lives are infinitely more interesting than mine could ever be."

Marius nodded at a thought. "I would talk to Owen. He'd probably give you some tips on the evil glass wall that leads to being isolated on a mountain. Just don't mention Weevils to him, he's still a little odd about that."

Lilith held out her cup for more tea. "Weevils...right. And you. What about you?"

Marius put his cup down to pour her more tea and looked over before shrugging. "I...well...not much. I apparently have another place with some of that Beast race stuck under it and...well...there were cannibals. Most of the offices from Earth tend to glare at me because I have Torchwood as a client, and it got pretty bad when one of them created a time bomb-Trojan Horse person and they started to brutally murder people. Other then that and headaches from the group being emotional wreaks, not much."

Lilith gave him a small glare. "That's not what I meant, but I guess it'll do..."

Marius looked over at her again. "It's the tea. It calms you down, so no more projecting. I can't read you if you're not projecting, so...well...not much to go on." _It also doesn't help that, seeing you again brings up those emotions I didn't remember having...you're more like your Doctor then you know._

Lilith seemed to blink, as if he has said his thoughts out loud, then looked down at the refilled cup, giving him a quiet, even gaze from over the top of her mug. Marius offered a small, shy smile and wondered if he would always revert back to being the new Caseworker that had walked into her office and spoken to her about his first assignment before he was bounced around the Earth-Human department, given over as Curator and then finally dropped off into the Torchwood group of Cardiff and all their woes.

Lilith finally broke the silence, saying, "If this is what deep thought does to you, Marius, I'd suggest you stop. I daresay you're regressing..."

Marius shook his head, feeling the blush return. "No, it's not that! I mean...this was...well..." he paused, trying to think of a coherent thought to explain his actions, "You needed this. After all that happened, and all that was said...you needed someone to show you that you aren't the failure you think you are, that...that your just excessively cursed with bad luck and being in the wrong place at the wrong time and if the Doctor doesn't understand that he's the worst type of hypocrite in the world. I...well...I can't really be unbiased in this, I have Jack and Ianto's thoughts wandering in my head and they're not...favorable to the Doctor a lot. Well, Jack's are, a little more then Ianto's, but still biased."

Lilith shifted to look at him again as he said, "Well...I know Jack's a former companion, but he also wasn't happy that the Doctor left him and didn't explain things or even _look _for him...he had to get his _hand _and use it to tell him if the Doctor was nearby, then he's told because he's a Fact that's why the Doctor isn't about to go anywhere near him. It's...well, Jack wasn't too happy about it, but at least now he knows why those things happen."

"And that Ianto guy?"

Marius shifted before saying, "He was in Torchwood One, at the battle of Canary Wharf. He had hidden for the most part and was trying to escape when he was caught by Cybermen near the end of the battle. They needed soldiers fast...to deal with the Daleks, and had taken to converting whole bodies, like the older types of Cybermen. His girlfriend, Lisa, was taken in first, then all of them left and turned off the machines. He went in and...and she was partly converted, still in pain. Not Human, but not converted, and through the hell of the last few minutes of the battle he took her out. He found a place for her before the area went to hell, and somehow helped to find more bodies, find others who had survived or hidden, and then moved her. He thought he saw the Doctor once, heading into the TARDIS when he was still looking for coworkers and others who had survived, then leaving. To him...the Doctor helped, the Doctor did what he could, but afterwards he _left_. He didn't care about the aftermath, or those who were still alive, still in need of his help. He just _left _to go and do his own agenda or purpose. So Ianto doesn't exactly like him."

Lilith paused before finally asking, "And what do you think?"

Marius looked over at her, remembering the times he had seen her, remembering what he had heard from Avery about her, remembering all that Yvenda had complained to him about that he had only cared about the news concerning Lilith...

"He hurts you. I don't like him for it. I don't like that he does that to you, that he seems to find a way to help and hurt you so much. Even if you do these things in the hopes he'll grow and end up hurting yourself, he always makes it worse. Doctors are supposed to make it better, not worse. They're not supposed to drive you to this, or to make any other Companion feel like they can never be loved. He's not supposed to tell people that nothing will happen when the only way he had heal is if he lets it happen. For all his immortal nature and countless years, he's still failed to grasp that one thought...it's depressing and I hate him for doing this to you."

Lilith looked over at him fully, Marius only glancing at her from the side as he looked at the small fire she had kept going. He had never meant to tell her that, especially not about the Doctor, but...

_Those who sign the contracts of marriage are those who are in a serious enough relationship that they would do it. Being forced into it doesn't change that fact._

_And he's not acting like a husband. He's acting like she's just a replacement, a filler until Rose returns. He should be smart enough to realize that won't happen._

Marius was unsure as to what came over him on that. He knew the Doctor did what he could for the places he visited, but he also never stayed behind to help in the aftermath. He handed down judgment like he was a demi-god but never seemed to remember that he had just as many flaws as the others.

_At least Torchwood has no pretensions about that...they're all human and make mistakes, and they acknowledge it._

"Marius?"

He looked back over at her before taking the chance and closing the distance between them, placing a chaste kiss on her lips, not so much a pressure but an obvious kiss. The intimate touch caused him to see a small, strange fracture within her mind, like there was two Liliths instead of one, before he suddenly was pushed backwards, the shock of it causing his mouth to open briefly as a tongue slipped in while he continued backwards, finding himself on his back and groaning at the returned pain while a sudden four-part drumbeat grew louder.

Marius pushed upwards, moving Lilith's mouth from his with some difficulty before she suddenly grabbed his arms and pushed down, pinning him as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "How long have you waited for that to happen, boy? Do you hate the Doctor because of what was said or because he got me before you did?" A nip at his ear as her breath tickled his skin, his own struggle to get away from her while the drums pounded in his own head through her contact causing him to force himself to try and block that out as she bit his shoulder and caused him to gasp at the pain of it. "Or are you interested in what Jack has, or what I know? What brought you here, Marius? Don't tell me you're just going to offer me tea and think I'll be satisfied."

"I'm sorry."

Lilith let out a chuckle as she moved to look at him, her eyes holding that strange light that shook him. "Sorry? For what? All that talk about your bias and you're not willing to go further? Why not be the one to heal me of the Doctor? Or are you still a good Sidra and want to wait for a marriage contract?" she leaned down, getting closer to him as she whispered to him, "It's overrated. Let me show you how things should be. Let me take what I want, what I'm denying myself because of that man you hate so much. Come now. You've given me everything else, Marius. Why deny me this?"

Marius felt himself shaking as he said, "Because this isn't Lilith. I won't give you what you think you want just because you wear her face and voice."

The slap was unexpected and he suddenly felt the pressure of her body off of him, causing him to blink and slowly sit up before seeing that the cup has been spilled and Lilith was a ways away from him, shaking herself and looking horrified.

"I'm sorry, Marius. I'm so sorry."

His cheek stung but he shook his head, not bothering to rub it. "I've had worse. You'd think I'd have learned by now to block the pain of Jack's deaths, but nope. That was mild."

"I...I would've..."

Marius shook his head to her. "You didn't."

"But..."

"No, no buts. You didn't. You're still Miss Lilith, still the Field Agent of the Time Lord Office, and still married to the Doctor. You are who you are after countless trials and errors. I came here to offer you support, and never thought I would take it that far. I'm sorry for starting it, and ending it so abruptly. The other in there...is only a fraction of you, and not at all you. I may not know you well, Lilith, but I know you enough that I can tell something new and fake when I see it."

Lilith looked over at him before sighing. "Can you be so sure?"

"Of course. I didn't see it before, and I haven't seen it until after you met up with the Master. Unlike the rest of us, you're closer to your Clients, not just through wanting to be but because you share their DNA and their sorrows, their faults. You can't blame yourself for it, anymore then they _should _blame you for it. After all, you didn't create the Master or the Doctor; their society did." He waited a moment before retrieving and cleaning off the small cup and replacing it on the tray, then saying, "If you want me to leave, I will, but you can keep the tray. There are a few extra tea bags in there as well, if you want them."

Lilith looked over at him, then said simply, "Stay. I think I'll need the company for now. I'll try not to bite...this time..."

Marius gave a small smile, and said, "In that case, how about I make a little more tea?"

_February29 note: The ending talk between Marius and Lilith are in mishklet's _So Much Dust_ chapter 24. The next few will run concurrent with each other, so look to both for the full stories._


	8. The Old and the New

**Seven: **The Old and the New

It was happening again.

Marius sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and willed the images away. Of all the things to resurface, it would have to be those..._dreams_. It was bad enough that Jack _just _returned and he was dealing with the emotional upheaval of everyone there and now settled for trying hard to just categorize the three he normally didn't have in his head.

Gwen: Snarky and annoyed. The bastard left without a word, damn it, who is he to think he can just waltz back in and nothing will have changed?

Owen: Snarky and sarcastic. He was used to Jack being closed tighter then—Marius stopped at the analogy and decided to never try and look at how Owen classified things _again_.

Toshiko: Annoyed. She couldn't pull up enough anger to be annoyed because that sound had told her it was possibly that same strange man who had helped her with the alien-that-wasn't a few years ago when Downing Street had been destroyed and she had been in charge of the autopsy. So Jack had needed help from someone who _knew _aliens, so maybe it was to help them? Either way, a call would've been nice...

"I came back for you."

Marius didn't want to classify what that did for Ianto. Mixed feelings and emotions of being a part of the team, of being more then just the tea boy was great, but still there was that underlying tension of how much he hated to do those things. At the same time, the kiss that Jack has initiated, and in front of everyone, as if to say 'mine' and lay claim to him as more then just a part-time, hidden fuck lingered even after the months and those words made him want to shake Jack and kiss him at the same time...

"All of you."

And things like that made him wonder how much Jack actually liked him, how much of it wasn't just flirting but Jack flirted with everyone, with him it was...different. It was more—more...

Marius stopped at the images and decided that some Elder of the Sidra race that had gained omnipotence or something long ago decided picking on him was a fun thing to do and did it on a regular basis, mainly with dreams about Lilith, then about his two Hubs being in a relationship, then having everyone else he was connected do having some strange sex life that came up at the most inconvenient times, which was whenever he was trying to find something meaningful and beyond just sex in their heads.

Marius didn't bother with Jack, not wanting or needing to go into his mind about anything as the surface thoughts were at how proud and sexy Gwen looked while in command and how sexy and cool Ianto was now. Marius cut it off as much as he could when the idea of what those two would be like in bed with Jack started and he groaned.

"Someone hates me."

--

Avery blinked at Marius then shook her head. "I wouldn't know."

"Say that again."

"Marius..." Avery sighed. "I'd have to experiment on my own, but for now I can't help you. How long as this been going on, anyway?"

Marius looked over to the side. "Since...earlier."

"Define 'earlier'."

Marius looked down, then muttered something.

"What?"

"sinceItookthejob."

Avery sighed again. "Well, I'll see what I can find for that, though hopefully it won't be about my niece. You have some footage of Jack and Ianto, right?"

Marius blinked and his eyes narrowed. "Avery..."

"I need to experiment and figure out why your hormones are acting the way they are, and if it's just Jack and Ianto or if there's some weird force about them doing it! By the way, how are they?"

Marius paused then blinked. "Not good. Someone just appeared...someone from Jack's past. I have to go."

"You'll send me the footage, right?"

"Its just on CCTV in the Torchwood Hub, easy to access without their knowledge! I have to go, but thanks for the help Avery!"

Avery watched Marius disappear and sighed, pulling up a chair. "Hmmm...I guess I'll have to be a male to see about this." She looked down at her own body. "And I liked this one too. Well, guess I can keep it until the other one is used...now, what type of human male should I be?"

--

It was very odd at how easy it was to slip into Ianto's mind, even after the connection had been rearranged due to the Year that Never Was. He felt Ianto's worry, fear, betrayal, and wonder at the new arrival that named himself John Hart. Considering that Jack's name wasn't real, Ianto doubted this one was real either.

"In what way?" Marius came in, asking the question of how many ways Jack had been partnered with this...man.

"In _every_ way," the man said with a smirk that told Ianto he _knew_ what he felt for Jack, he _knew _and was...was...angry? Annoyed? Jealous?

All the things that Ianto was...here was Jack's old lover, and he was Jack's new lover. Old and the new, facing off, and not liking the other one bit.

But John had known the _real _Jack, or so he probably would claim, and Ianto had to confess that he probably even knew Jack's real name, which gave him that advantage.

So what did Ianto have, other then Jack now? He didn't know his past, only his present. He didn't know _Jack _like this man did and it hurt him.

But there was something else. The man seemed to lie whenever he suited him, covering it up as much as he could, but for someone who had once lied so often like Ianto had it was clear the dying lady's wish might not be about the radiation cluster bombs, if there was such a thing.

But could they chance it?  
Marius slowly inched away and sighed. Being back in Ianto's mind was a welcome comfort, but it felt different too. He knew it was because of the connection severing and rearranging itself to the point where it had been last, but that hadn't change the fact that he knew how Ianto felt.

_I'm not even rated as a new lover anyway._

Marius pushed the negative thought out of his head. Even if he wasn't rated or anything like that, he had still helped. Lilith was on her way to feeling better about herself and healing herself as well, possibly even returning to work and whatever ramifications there would be.

_Of course, no thanks to _him

Marius once more shook his head, clearing out his thoughts. Negative thoughts about the Doctor, at least in this instance, was not going to be productive. Finding out more about John Hart was, though, and he set out to do just that.

--

"It _what_?"

"You heard me clearly, Marius. It's done with. Finished," Sara sighed. "I liked it, too, for all the personalities, and sadly I'm not rated to be it's Curator...at least not yet."

Marius had to blink at that. "You're allowed to be a Curator for an agency?"

Sara looked down and blushed. "Like I said, not yet. I'm trying to say that since there are seven remaining Agents who have not been debriefed or killed, I should be able to stay on and watch over them. Which one did you want to know about?"

Marius pulled out a small picture he had gotten when John had entered the Hub. "He goes by John Hart, had a history with my client that used to be yours, and probably still somewhat is...Jack Harkness?"

Sara smiled as she heard the name. "I know. For a conman, he's quite the handsome gentleman, though I have a good number of people asking for jurisdiction over him." She shook her head. "The Bohems want him because he's their Face of Boe."

Something about the wording made Marius start, but he recovered quickly. "And John?"

"Just got out of Murder Rehab, and not cured. Neither was he fully cured for the Sex, Drugs, or Drink Rehabs he went to either. Just killed a person he had a fling with because they supposedly have an Arcadian gem."

This caused Marius to blink and go into Jack's back-door of the mind before whistling. "That's...worth a lot."

"Since the Last Time War and the Fall of Arcadia it's worth a _ton,_" Sara pointed out, "Not to mention the fact that with the Time Agency gone your 'John' could make good bank and live like a king if he got it. Him _and _Jack."

Marius sighed. "I know. But that's only if Jack accepts, and he won't."

Sara looked over at him. "He's a conman. Of course he'll accept this."

Marius, looking at John's file, shook his head. "No. Not with how this one works, he won't. He's already decided to toss him out the minute it's done with and over, in favor of his team. John's going to try and hurt them for it, especially Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper."

Sara frowned before asking, "How do you figure that?"

Marius looked over and tapped his skull. "I have a connection with Jack, so I have a general idea of how John is. John's not happy with the two...he seems to do what he can to either flirt with or annoy them, but he flirts with Gwen and he annoys Ianto. Jack knows that he only flirts with Gwen because he's taken that role as second-in-command; he annoys Ianto because Ianto's taken his place as Jack's lover."

Sara blinked at that. "And the others?"

"They're partners but to a lesser degree, and Jack still trusts them more then he ever trusted John. For that, he hates them, and he hates them because Jack's on the planet and _leading _them. Meaning if he leaves they might follow, and John wants Jack all to himself."

Sara looked at him and then said, "So what do you want to do?"

Marius rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. "I can only observe for now, and I might as well. They can take care of themselves."

--

The problem with being so connected to an accidental Hub like Ianto Jones was that almost all of his emotions came through. Of course, annoyance was prominent at this point, though he was slightly happy that Jack had agreed to pair them together as opposed to Jack and John. Of course, there was tension as Jack found himself not in control but he seemed to get over it.

The car ride to the area was...odd. Neither said anything, not because Ianto didn't _want _Jack to say anything. But it would've been nice.

Marius pulled himself away as he felt Gwen's panic and then, a few minutes later (_I need to talk to Sara about how John gets everywhere so quickly..._), he felt Toshiko and Owen being attacked.

That meant Ianto and Jack were next.

_Oh bloody hell_.

_--_

"Are...you asking me out on a date?" _say yes, please God be what he's talking about—like it could be anything else. Dinner and a movie...classic first date._

"Interested?"

_I've been for a while. I shouldn't have been, it was just because you needed it and so did I and—and then..._ "Well...as long as it's not in an office..." _just smooth, Ianto...the man asks you out, and you're trying hard to ignore him. Why?_

_Because of John, right? But he _asked you out. _He told you he has something about offices that make them interesting to him and you _know _all of the things in the office...so wouldn't he be then interested in you?_ "Some fetishes should be kept to yourself." _I've had enough with offices but I'll gladly—no, work! This might be real. You have to consider that and the danger this poses to other people._

"Looks like we're going to have to go through every drawer, bin and plant-pot," Jack said with a laugh from away as Ianto continued the search for the item.

"Right okay...I'll do this floor, don't want you getting over-excited," _Four months you were gone, and all that time there was no one but you. I want it to be the same but I feel so...odd...there are two of us now, aren't there? Me and him. Why--_

"Jack," he said after saying that Jack should take the roof and as his lover started to head that way, "why are we helping him?"

Jack turned to face him, his eyes unmasked, that show he only gave Ianto when they were alone and it was serious, the guard down enough that Ianto knew he was sincere about this. "He's a reminder of my past. I want him gone."

_Is your past so painful that you mustn't share it with any of us? All we know is you were mortal, and now immortal. All we know is the you now, but we'd like to know...to know what made you the person you are. Was it just the immortality? The you now...was it because of the Doctor?_

"By the way, was that a yes?" "Yes." _You didn't need to ask. I want him gone as well._

_Your past and mine seem too dangerous to have around anyone._

Jack left after Ianto had muttered 'yes' again and returned to his search, looking through the drawers with practiced and efficient ease. No, nothing. One strange bracelet someone left...

_**Go back!**_

The voice startled him enough that he looked once more at the bracelet then returned to his search as the voice and feeling of someone else, something...familiar...in his head disappeared and he returned just as he heard the elevator doors opening.

Worried, knowing Jack would speak up about it, Ianto slowly removed his gun and crept forward, allowing his training to take over even as his mind began to panic.

_Get over this._

_**You probably never will. Don't panic, don't worry. I'll protect you.**_

_Who are you? _He was closer to the elevator door, recognizing the voice now as the odd one from the incident at...

_**A Caretaker, but that's not important. I need you to remember where that bracelet was.**_

Ianto looked around, trying to see if anyone did come out of the elevator but seeing no one. _Why?_

_**It's not supposed to be there, but it's not dangerous. I'm going to go and see why it's there in the first place.**_

_The Rift_, Ianto paused, swallowing his fear as he did to look at the only elevator, the one that had to be opened.

_**That thing couldn't have come through the Rift. I need to go, though. Watch your back, Ianto Jones. I don't need you dying on me.**_

_I don't need that either._ The being gone, Ianto finally looked into the empty elevator and almost sighed with relief when he felt a gun barrel at the back of his head.

"Into the lift, Eye Candy."

--

Marius slowly looked around and sighed. Great. The office was luckily empty and the events involving John Hart had officially not really taken place...well, either way there had been avoiding the past selves for a short amount of time that mainly involved getting drinks and not mentioning what had happened, though all of them had felt John's look when he saw Jack walk up, alive and well after having fallen and broken his spine in half (which _hurt_) was worth it. Ianto's glee at having John realize he was about to blow up and in the first few seconds of counting down, as well as his surprise and minor glee of seeing Gwen hit John right before the bastard left helped to calm down that want to go over, pull John off of Jack and say 'mine'.

Marius decided he should probably get into the habit of a) not talking to Ianto like he did before, and b) not go into the minds of his two Hubs as often as he was. It was hard to tell where his mind ended at times and the other's began.

Marius paused before the desk and quickly closed all the links as much as he could. There was no point in leaving them open or having them like that for a quick snatch-and-go job, especially when he had see that through Ianto's eyes. What a Chronometric's watch was doing in this area was beyond him, especially when the Chrnometric Agent in question had been dead for a number of years, or at least lost and considered as dead as his last assignment.

_Good riddances_, Marius thought with a shudder. The thought of _that _Caretaker and Sidra always made him do so, because of what had happened and because of how it had effected the whole of the Sidra race.

Finding the right desk, Marius gave a small smile as he pulled out the item and gave it a quick look before he started to pocket it then heard the lift doors open. He felt himself straighten and freeze, like--

_Don't think about them! Do this yourself!_

With a deep breath, Marius felt himself go into a crouch, hiding behind a desk and waiting to see if whoever had used the lift would be coming out soon. Looking out from under one of the desk backs, he saw four pairs of legs coming into the room.

"He took the bait, where the hell is he?"

"You expect us to catch one like that so easily? Activate it."

Marius nearly cursed himself for his stupidity as he dropped the bracelet just as it let out a bright glow that nearly blinded him.

"There!"

_All the more a fool_, he chastised himself as he raced for the door, happy that none of the four had thought to cover it.

Of course, being as how they had disabled the elevators and locked the other doors anyway, he could see why that was so.

A grab and twist of his arm, as well as the sensation of being trapped within his body, washed over him as one of the men reached him, his other arm going around Marius' neck and lifting him up slightly. "You're not going anyway, Sidra."

Unable to call for help, caught with the strange man, Marius struggled and landed in an elbow to the stomach, allowing himself to be released as he backed over to the side door, taking up a stance that he hoped would help him fight off the group. The one he gut-punched was recovering and by far the largest, while the others were somewhat wiry but obviously knew how to detain a person. He paused in confusion as he saw their outfits.

_Torchwood One?_

The big man rushed him, causing Marius to try and push him through the doors before two others grabbed his arms, one getting butted in the head from Marius trying to fight them off before the tall one, glaring now, walked over and returned the punch from earlier.

Marius folded onto the man's hand, the breath pushed out of him as cuffs were placed around his wrists. "We got him. I hope that the boss doesn't mind us roughing him up."

One of the skinny men giggled. "With what Boss wants to do with _this _one, I doubt he'll need to worry long about a few bruises."

Marius coughed, trying to get air into his lungs as he was pulled into the elevator then pushed out again, a black bag going over his head as he was pushed into what felt like a car trunk, the door slamming on top of him and the car racing away from the scene.


	9. Obsession

**Eight: **Obsession

The room was small, at least it appeared to be such when the bag was ripped off of his head and he shook himself to clear his brain, blinking at the surroundings. Three walls on all sides, and he was able to look enough on either side to see a steel door behind him.

_Not like Beacons but close...at least no blood and body parts._

Of his captors, other then the door closing behind him there was no one, and with his hands cuffed behind him and himself strapped on the chest and legs to a metal chair, which of course _had _to be bolted to the floor, that left Marius with little other to do then worry and look around, trying to get his bearings. They hadn't driven far, meaning he was still in Cardiff. If he was lucky, someone noticed the kidnapping on CCTV and would report it, and after that Torchwood might investigate if they found that the person being drug in had no identity as a Human...

The sound of a bolt sliding along the door made Marius turn, craning his head to look back at a tall man walked in. He was reedy thin and muscular, his clothing falling loose on him but not mistaking the muscle that he was made of. A handsome, almost angelic face looked at him, pitch black eyes the only signal of something otherworldly about this man right up until Marius pinned it. He knew who this was...

"You," he found himself whispering, awed and trying to keep the fear out of his voice as the man came to a halt in front of him, looking him over with a serious eye, as if appraising a choice cut of meat. "But you're dead!"

"I might as well be, mightn't I? After all, the item they put on me," he held up a small piece of black plastic, much like the one now wrapped around Marius' arm, "malfunctioned. Badly enough to give me two, one for myself and one for my captor. Killing him was no issue, the poor young one so sure and then so scared...it was quite enjoyable."

Marius felt himself shiver at the word and forced himself to calm down. Even if he was being held by four people who wore Torchwood One outfits and by...by this _Sidra_, if that could be termed to the madman, he still had a chance of escaping.

"You, of course, are Marius...of the Seidra family. I can tell. You all have that same look, especially when you have a Hub or two. I knew a relative of yours." He smiled sweetly. "How much pain was he in when he died?"

Marius pushed back his anger, but not enough to not keep it from coming through in his voice. "Enough that it was more then enough evidence against you...everything else was just circumstantial, wasn't it? All your accomplishments, boiled down to just one Sidra figuring you out and blowing the whistle. Enough that the races you raped and hurt could be fixed, and the others? They're all extinct. As dead as the stars that once held them."

The tall man turned to look at him from the side, like a bird might look at it's prey, then moved closer. "Is that so, boy? Tell me, then, about those that attacked Canary Wharf, the ones from another universe. They were so much like those beautiful ones I helped created from the weakened race, but instead they were messy. They only took a brain, not the whole body...uniform but corrupted. If my work is so extinct, then why were they on Earth, why did they nearly succeed until the children of Skaro appeared?"

Marius felt himself moved backwards, not wanting to touch this man, as he said simply, "That was the work of another, who was told it would be controlled and they would be killed. Neither promise was upheld, at least not until now. As for the Daleks...they're xenophobic survivors, cowards of a lost war."

The man nodded. "I know...the Time War. The Last Time War, which destroyed stars and brought about new beings, which killed of the two greatest, who make my accomplishments worth it wall...the Daleks, the great killers, and the Time Lords, who prove to be killers themselves, even the meekest of them all."

Marius stayed silent as the former Sidra moved away from him. "The item won't come off, not until it functions again and realizes you're not me. It could take days, even years. In the meantime, I who got the blunt of it must be trapped in _this _form." He snorted in disgust. "How I hate it."

"Why lead us to believe you were dead?" Marius demanded, "Why attach yourself to those four from Torchwood?"

He looked at Marius once more and gave a smile that sent a chill through Marius. "Oh, they are the survivors and the insane, of course. There were 27 survivors of Canary Wharf, of which one lives here. Those four disappeared from Torchwood's radar, and the rest were reconditioned into thinking it was others there. They gladly gave up their memories of Torchwood and that nightmare for simple lives. No need to worry about them, is there? It was when I saw that FACT...that man of the future that I knew a Caretaker would appear." His smile grew, nearly cutting his face in half. "And here you are, lovely boy. The perfect image of the last one I had...the same defiant eyes. I would have loved to keep his eyes."

"What do you want?"

The smile vanished quickly and the head was tilted another way before he leaned forward again. "To break you utterly," he whispered to Marius, "to see you fall apart as those you care about die before you. I want to know what you know, like who created the new Cybermen that were destroyed, and then, of course, I want to take your power as a Sidra and use it, giving you a dying, human body to cling to in death as you fail in your duty. This, you see, is an oubliette. From here there is one door and, for you, no escape, no help. All those who enter here that do not know it's secrets will perish with you. Now call your friends to help you. I know you have _one _Hub up. I can feel it. Your worry over them and over how they will be, how much you want them to help but how scared you are for them. Call them, lovely boy, or I will be very displeased."

Marius was shaking, trying to keep it in but unable to, and he finally turned to look at the former Sidra, the one abomination of his race. "You can _try_, Ulamo, but I will not break easily."

Ulamo, the fallen Sidra, gave the grin that once again split his face in two, like a demented clown. "You are too much like him. I shall enjoy this...you don't know how much I will enjoy this."

--

Ulamo turned after he had closed the door behind the young one and frowned upon seeing Vince there. Vince had been in Torchwood when several charges of rape had come up and been dropped due to the people suddenly not remembering. Torchwood itself had punished him, or had been in the process when they found the hole to the Void and began to not care what happened to him after that. Much like his other three, all of whom had been in some form of torture or information gathering that had turned, in Torchwood's mind, sour.

Still, they wanted the old ways back, and he had promised to help them. Marius was only the first step, especially since it had been a Torchwood member who had found the item in the first place.

"Well?"

"I'm giving him a minute before I begin. I hope you don't mind."

Vince snorted. "He's an alien, and works with those traitors in the Hub. I want him to have started crawling by now."

Ulamo shook his head. "I wonder about you. Crass, very crude as well. The art of torture is a fine one, like wine it must be refined and aged to the point of perfection. The cheap imitations are only for those who want a quick drink or thrill, nothing more. On top of that, Vince, I also need to get my own supplies ready."

Vince cast a look at the door. "And for now?"

Ulamo looked the human over and gave a smile that seemed to split his face in half. "I said a minute...after that, I expect it will take another five for me to return. Just ensure he is conscious and nothing is too broken. A split lip I can understand, but not a broken arm. I will be _very _put out if I find one."

Vince gave a bark of a laugh. "We can keep it gentle for being rough. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Ulamo finally nodded. "Good. Hopefully soon I shall have what I need to make him break. I intend for him to cry out, to weep, to beg, and finally to do this out loud before he breaks completely for him, breaks in such a way there is no returning to his real self. When all of that is done and I've turned him into fine dust, then I shall discard him back into the Sidra fold. They'll know then that I'm still alive and well, and even if they send other after me...I will simply break them as well. The Human race is so full of possibilities, so many aliens find your world on accident or on purpose it's lovely. And with the power of Torchwood behind us, there is no escape for the rest of the universe."

--

They had left on the cuffs, and taken out the chair, but for how long they passed Marius between the four of them, shaking and roughing him up...he didn't know or care to. He took it all with a casual indifference that seemed to make them mad right before Ulamo walked in, a small case in his hands.

"Now please, what are you doing? I would want him to be nearly healthy before the beginning of what I plan to do," Ulamo smiled at Marius, "Wouldn't you want that too, boy?"

Marius glared at him, not answering as the case was set down and Ulamo motioned, causing the thug holding onto him at this point to turn him roughly before unlocking one of the cuffs. "Now--."

Marius struck, throwing his head back to slam into the man's face and force him to release him as he raced forward to the door, dodging and hitting the two that came after him before he started to grab at the door panel, ready for another attack or a trap--

Marius felt himself tossed, slamming into the side of the room harshly enough to make him see stars as he found himself focusing on Ulamo, who stood where he had been with his hand out at him, a glare on his face.

"_That_," he said in a voice that caused Marius to nearly cower in fear, "was stupid, boy. Very stupid, in fact. I'm going to have to punish you for that, and I was going to wait for a little while to punish you severely for anything, but when you act this way..." Taking two quick strides, Marius found himself now trapped by Ulamo, the evil Sidra's hands grabbing his wrists as he _felt _the Sidra push a memory into his body.

_The bodies of countless lay before him, brutally slaughtered by the ones he had spoken to, many missing parts of their heads or scalps. Blood soaked into a ground that had once been used as crops between the two people, and now would be a mass burial ground._

"_Beautiful" he said to the tired people he had turned into killers, "this is beautiful. I'm pleased."_

_The group smiled, as a child would to a parent that just gave them praise._

_He finally frowned. "But there's not enough...not enough blood. Find more."_

_A confused look swept through the crowd. One started to speak up, to say that the only blood left was their own, when one of them, understanding his meaning so quickly, sliced off that one's head._

_He smiled as the last of the living killed each other, bathing him and the ground--_

Marius violently pulled himself away from the memory, his body shaking from the effort and well aware he had let out a yell. Ulamo looked pleased as he stood, moving away from Marius. "You understand now, boy? Do you know what I can do now? Why not surrender now? Why not simply give up?"

Marius stayed silent.

"Tell me the names of your Hubs. Give me the ones I shall hold onto as long as you follow me, help me."

"No."

Ulamo tilted his head. "You were unimpressed with what I showed you? There are more, far prettier then that one."

Marius took a deep breath and shook his head. "I won't tell you who they are."

Ulamo looked at him, then smiled. "A pity. I was hoping this would be easy...but I'm far more pleased that it's going to be a challenge." He reached into his case and pulled out a small hook that he gave to one of the thugs. "I think we'll start with George. He's good at acupuncture, though not the way most Humans know it. Feel free to scream my name when you want it to stop."

--

Marius choked on a yelp as another needle slid into his skin, causing him to both loose feeling at that area and then to cause another area to flare with pain that seemed constant.

"Who are they, boy?"

Marius didn't answer, not trusting himself to speak and not wanting to say anything. He couldn't give them away. He could live through this.

Another needle went in and his whole body stiffened, muscles taunt and aching all over from the usage of the needles. He could feel all of them in him and had to forcibly hold back the urge to scream.

"Who are they?"

He wouldn't say.

"Tell me."

No.

"A name," another needle went in, causing him to gasp out as his body shook now, "and this will end."

With effort, Marius shook his head, staring at the ceiling as he did so and concentrating on his hands and the featureless wall above him.

"You will tell me, in the end. It will benefit you if you tell me now."

Marius stayed silent, vowed to stay silent, and closed his eyes against the pain as two more needles went in.

--

The light blinked in and out of life as Marius lie curled up on the floor, shivering from the cold. At least three spots bled from where George had pulled out the pins incorrectly or had not cared, causing a small trail to head down his exposed back. Sometime during the torture, they had ripped his shirt into tatters then taken it off, leaving his chest exposed to the new environment. His shoes had also been removed at one point, and his hands returned to being behind his back, though this time they were tied with rope through a hook in the floor, and tied tightly enough to start cutting off circulation at his wrists.

At one point in the torment, he had been brought down and put into a position where his arms were raised up while behind his back, and at least one hurt enough to either be dislocated or close to it. The cold and blinking light didn't help to let him get some much-needed rest, but he had to guess that was part of the plan to ensure he would break.

_I won't. I won't betray them. I won't let him break me._

Marius closed his eyes against the noise of the light and it's flickering, internally going to find the doors that belonged to his connections and shutting them as much as he could, finding out that there was more to the reconnected lines then he thought.

He easily shut out Toshiko's, Gwen's and Owen's, but Jack and Ianto's, especially Ianto's, where more like the door that Gwen had once had. He pushed them as far as he could, blocking them and that part of his mind when he felt something pull him up roughly, causing him to open his eyes and see Ulamo holding him up, glaring at him.

"What did you do?"

Marius didn't speak as Ulamo slapped him. "_What did you do, boy_?"

Despite trying to hold off the touch-telepathic part of himself, he could feel the anger and annoyance from the other Sidra and used it as a sign that he didn't know about that. Had his ancestor not closed any of his Hubs?

"Open them up again."

Marius glared at Ulamo, his body still shaking from the cold but himself ready to fight. "No."

Another harsh slap. "Open them! Tell me their names, boy!"

"No."

Ulamo growled, both hands holding onto Marius' upper shoulder before he shoved another memory into his head.

"_This will make me...better?"_

_He nodded to the man, a Mondasian he had contacted about a possible way to continue to live as their planet drifted through space and their lives became in greater peril._

"_You need to add these parts onto you. It will, of course, hurt, but it will help you. After all, if you have some mechanical parts on you, then you'll live as long as they do."_

_He smiled at Ulamo as the table held him down. "And you will watch over me?"_

_Ulamo nodded. "Of course. But, there is another thing. Others have been doing this, but I think you should upgrade your whole body. Create something new...something that will last forever."_

_The man nodded. "Yes. Yes, please."_

_Ulamo turned on the machine, stepping up to touch the man's hand before saying, "I'll leave these so they can identify you, and just remember, now matter how much pain there is, this is for the betterment of your race."_

_Another nod as Ulamo started up the machine, slowing down time as the man blinked, a look of horror playing across his face as the the cutting begin, slowly moving into him and causing him to scream as it did, taking it's time to move through is body as his life-blood poured out. Out of the way of the machines, Ulamo held his hand, taking in the feelings of being cut into, of the pain and torment and wonder at why he hadn't been told it would be like this..._

"_All for a greater good," Ulamo told him as the first piece of metal was place, hot and burning down the skin of the man's arm while more were placed in and he began to struggle, begging for it be stopped, "Your race must survive, right? In order to do that, you must become something that is not humanoid. You must become something metal and very pretty. You must realize this now, mustn't you? After all, this pain you feel is your imperfections being taken away. This pain and hurt and insanity that is creeping up on you is simply a by-product of what you are becoming. And after all...shouldn't everyone be this way?"_

_Ulamo held his hand, watching, smiling, repeating his words of the betterment of the Mondasian race as the man screamed while all the metal that could be scrounged was put onto him, not covering all of his body but most of it, perhaps 60 of it before the process stopped and the man whimpered, still in pain._

"_I'm sorry it couldn't be completed," Ulamo said._

"_It's all right," the voice was more machine then human, even as tears fell from the man's eyes, "you were right, though. We must convert others, we must do this in order to keep ourselves alive. I am better now—no...no, you lied! You lied, you bastard! I can't be like this! I can't...change me back. Complete me, you said you would! Make me complete! I'm...disgusting. Please!" the last part was almost a melody, the sound of both the old natural voice and the cyber voice now within him._

_Ulamo let go of the man's hand. "No. I don't think I will. I think I will leave you here, and see how your race reacts to your appearance. I shall possibly stay for that, but beyond it is up to them. I only give you a way."_

_Ulamo moved away as the door opened, waiting as the group looked from him to the screaming man on the table, yelling for Ulamo to come back and complete him, to fix him, to make him right in that melodious voice of his, stuck between the caring humanoid and the emotionless cyber being that had come into existence..._

"Stop it!"

Ulamo smiled at Marius as he was released, collapsing to the floor and curling up into a ball, his face wet with tears and his body shaking hard, his breaths coming out irregularly.

"You don't like them, do you? The Cybermen...but the ones that came from the other world were not as pretty as mine were, wouldn't you say?"

Marius was shaking too hard, his mind trying to recover from the images and feelings of being torn into, of feeling _that _again, only—only this was more. This wasn't just like Lisa's insanity, or the partly-remembered memory from Lilith. It was more intense, and it made him feel like he had been there experiencing both the sick pleasure Ulamo got from doing it and watching as well as the pain and growing insanity that the nameless man had gone through while it happened.

Ulamo knelt down, looking over Marius before adding in, "Who are they?"

Marius shook his head, his brain slowly working out who he meant.

"If you don't tell me, I'll only find them. It will only be worse for them, and you, if you don't tell me."

"No," Marius whispered, "no."

"No?"

"No. I—I w-won't t-tell."

Ulamo reached over and stroked the side of Marius face, causing him to flinch away. "Look at you, so hurt and scared now. Do you really not want to tell me? I have so many other memories, so many worse things that I can give you. I could even show you what one of the men saw about that Field Agent who worked for Saxon...the girl was beautiful when she was like that, so beautiful and deadly. With more work she could have been refined, could have been honed...but she left. Do you know who she was, boy? Do you know her name, that I might find her?"

Marius shook his head quickly, his brain slowly coming out of the stupor that Ulamo had put it in.

"No name for her either? A pity. Then I shall have to find it myself. In the meantime, I'll try to decide who to send in next. All of them are so eager to have a go with you."

Ulamo stood, walking out and then saying, "You will give them to me by the end of the week, Marius. And if not, then you will help to get them here. From there, I can find your Hubs, and maybe even that lady. From there...I can do whatever else I want with you. Because you, unlike your relative, will not die. I shall make sure of that. Everyone else...perhaps. But you won't. You will live on and on and on, within the pain of their last moments and all the pain of your own, because you can do nothing to stop me, and neither can they."

--

The water had ice in it, only adding to the cold that seemed to start to penetrate all of Marius' being as he was submerged into it, thrashing when the new man of the hour, Clive, held him under the water, getting him close to near-drowning the longer it went on before dumping the large, steel tub, as well as Marius, out onto the floor and covering the concrete with the ice and water.

Marius gasped up the air as Ulamo, from his seat on the chair that had been returned to the room, clicked his tongue. "This is all for naught, Marius. You will give me those names. Why not make it easy? Why not simply say them, earn yourself a few nice things. Food," the list was punctuated with kicks from Clive to various parts of his body, and despite the fact that his need was basic at this point, Marius found that Ulamo had made it a very long list.

"Things like that," he ended after Marius had received a kick in the back, ending the harsh treatment and leaving more bruises on his body, he was sure. "So...how many are there?"

Marius coughed a little more, pushing himself up until he was sitting on his lower legs, which ached from the cold and another kick earlier before, as well as from the torture with the needles. "I..." he breathed in to get his teeth to stop chattering, "won't tell you."

Ulamo tilted his head at Marius again, the black eyes showing how this was getting tiring for the older Sidra. "You shouldn't be so resilient, boy. Even Field Agents couldn't handle some of the torture. What are they to you, anyway? I doubt they know you exist, or what you look like. I even doubt that they would want to come here to save you."

Marius breathed in the cold air of the room. "I don't care."

He watched as Ulamo's eyes flickered with annoyance and looked over at Clive, who was somewhere behind Marius.

"You don't, huh? Then I won't speak to you until you _do _care. I believe they are being too gentle with you." Ulamo stood from his seat and walked to the door before saying to Clive. "You have an hour. Make him _care_."

--

Ulamo turned on the camera and watched Clive work, smiling at the resilience of the younger Sidra as he did. That relative of his...he had been like him, though by now he had told Ulamo that there was more then one connection. By the time of his escape, as lead by the last remaining Hub and the resistance they had started, the man had told him a good deal, but not enough to reveal who his final Hub was or where they were until Ulamo had caught and executed her himself.

A long cattle prod was brought out and Ulamo smiled. Clive knew what he was doing, but at the same time he was only taking up time that could be used later on. This was day two of seven, and after a moment Ulamo decided to give the young Sidra some time to recover, if only a little, before sending in Vince...though he didn't want to. The way that Vince looked at other Sidra...

Ulamo snorted. It didn't matter. That boy would be his by the time everything was done and he had that power, and afterwards...well, it didn't matter, did it? He could keep the boy and allow him to see all that would be done with the Earth before he released it from his grasp and went on to some other world.

"So many worlds," Ulamo said as he saw the boy yell and jump, the water carrying more of the current then he could resist easily, "so many people...all for me to see, and a Rift to help me travel them. So wonderful, this planet. So very lovely."


	10. Revelation of a Situation

**Nine: **Revelation of a Situation

The Torchwood van pulled up, allowing Andy to look over and smile upon seeing Gwen and her group again. "This one's obviously yours."

"I don't like the sound of that," she told him reluctantly, "last time we heard that, it was pretty bad."

Andy nodded. "I heard. Sorry about it, and...well...it's bad, Gwen. Really bad."

The group nodded, everyone heading back towards the roped off area. The call had come in about a body found in an alleyway, and the police had responded, signaling for Torchwood as well. They walked professionally into the alley, then stopped upon finding the actual sight of the killing.

The body was lying on the ground, partly but not fully concealed by anything. Blood soaked most of the clothing, and deep cuts traced along the man's arms and legs. The only part of him not covered in blood was his face, his hair short but also covered in blood and looking like it had been beaten.

"Oh my God," Ianto whispered, "I know him."

--

Marius felt his hands being untied and started to move when his arms were pulled upward, causing him to hiss in pain as the untying continued, though now at that painful angle. "You'll be fine, little one, I'm not about to be cruel just yet."

The rope undone, the man behind him now twisted his hands, making Marius fall onto his stomach, letting out a low whimper at the cold against his skin and the pain he was feeling.

"You're quite pretty, aren't you? A very nice-looking boy with," a hand now touched his back, showing that only one hand was holding onto his wrists as the finger traced the faded scar on his back, "such an odd body. Where did you get this, young one?"

Marius stayed silent, causing the man to flip him over suddenly and backhand him just as violently. "Not one for conversation, are you? Not one for much of anything but taking what we give you."

The ring of the voice was familiar in an odd way, but Marius stayed silent and unresponsive, causing another violent backhand to hit him before the hand was gripping him at the throat. "I was told to stop treating you kindly, but I didn't think I wanted to do that anyway. It's not my style. I don't care who your Hub is, or if you talk or not. I want what you have, little one, and I will take it."

The man leaned in, putting more pressure on Marius throat before violently kissing him, biting his lip hard in order to force his tongue in.

Marius reacted.

Another sharp backhand followed as Marius spit some of the blood that had gotten into his mouth from biting down on the man's tongue, his own lip bleeding as well from the bite and being slapped.

Instead of being annoyed, the man seemed to be even more excited. "That's right. Fight me. You won't win, but I'd rather have someone who fights then someone who doesn't."

The strange echo of a past memory, or perhaps not his own memory, suddenly caused Marius to panic and realize who this was and what his crime had been before the man-Vince leaned down again, trying to grab his arms.

Marius struck, fighting from his position with a strange will of self-preservation and fright. The blows and hits were familiar too as Vince either fought them off or reeled when one landed before Marius once more found himself pinned, this time with his arms pinned under him by the combined body weight and Vince pulling violently at his slacks.

"You're just like that Welsh bastard too. Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." He leaned in to whisper, "You don't mind if I yell out his name when I take you, do you? His ass is probably as tight as yours is."

Marius sent his head back, clipping Vince on the side of the head but enough to cause him to become disoriented as Marius shakily stood, heading for the door again when he was tackled down, now being hit again and again upside his head and chest, one lucky hit sending him into darkness.

--

Jack had waited until they found the bloody card reading "for torchwood, a gift of the past" before taking over the scene from the police and taking the body back to the Hub. There, Jack had pulled Ianto to the side after Toshiko found the information.

Vince Renton, formerly of Torchwood One, had been charged with five counts of rape and sexual assault, though none had gone through because the victims tended to forget after falling asleep. The only one who hadn't had been a new employee of Torchwood One and who had escaped to report him: Ianto Jones.

So Jack had called Ianto into his office after having Owen check on the body, with Toshiko helping out, and Gwen checking the police reports and CCTV for any known sightings of Vince in the past week.

Jack sat beside him and waited. "Did he hurt you?"

Ianto sighed before nodding.

"Did he do anything--."

"No...no, but he..." Ianto shifted in his chair before taking a long drink of beer and then saying, "He tried. He nearly did, but I got lucky and was able to run. I reported it and didn't drink anything for a day, until I could testify against him."

Jack stayed silent as Ianto, almost like he was giving a report, told him that he had met Vince for drinks and Vince had tried to rape him, though first he had tried to beat him. Ianto, while not the best fighter in the world, used his fear of what would happen as well as luck to get away and reported it officially. A few days later, there was the attack on Canary Wharf.

Jack leaned back in his chair. "So he knew you were seeing Lisa at the time?" The name drudged up too many bad memories for the two of them, and hadn't been spoken since the 'last snogged' game nearly a year ago, but this time...

"He did. He asked me out for a talk about one of her coworkers and possibly 'hitching up' with them. A type of double-date, a surprise for the girls. Plus, her birthday was coming up...Lisa's was...and..."

Jack put a hand on Ianto's shoulder. "You've been out of it for the past two days, Ianto. What's wrong?"

Ianto took another drink and shook his head. "I dunno, sir. I...bad dreams. It's odd...like something is trying to reach me but not, like...like I can see through a closed door but only barely, and I _know_ that I have to help but they're holding it shut too tightly."

Jack frowned and blinked. "Me too. I had some odd feeling earlier, like someone wanted help but not ours...and yet--." Jack stopped before standing, "Ianto, was there anything else odd that happened during the past few days?"

"Other then—the usual?"

Jack let a small smile slip through before nodding and Ianto looked away before saying, "When I left...when John had hurt the others, I heard a voice. It made me look at...at something, a watch or some sort of bracelet I found in a drawer at the office. Right before he made me leave..."

Jack leaned down, comfortably in Ianto's personal space before he asked, "Did they say who they were?"

Ianto frowned, then nodded. "A Caretaker. He said he was our Caretaker, and had helped me before...during--."

Jack nodded, "I know. I've heard him too. Come on."

"Sir?"

Jack turned back then said, "I have a feeling that man and our Caretaker might be connected, so let's find out how."

--

Ulamo glared at Vince, who had been pulled out of the room when he had started to remove the unconscious boy's pants. "I never said you could, Vince. In fact, I've given you enough to keep yourself occupied without touching what is rightfully mine."

Vince snorted. "Yours? You came here telling us you would give us back Torchwood, that you would allow us to have control. You pointed me to the man that was my downfall, and now you say that that brat in there is _yours_. You have done nothing for us. If your plan was so well, we would have given Torchwood Three a sign, gotten them here and used them against him, not relied on him to break. If they are his hub or whatever strange term it is, _alien_," the word was spat out with annoyance, "then bringing them here, seeing which one of them he reacts to the most, is what we must do."

Ulamo looked at him, his eyes having gone emotionless and black like that of a shark before he slowly circled Vince, the others watching from nearby. "Is it? How shall we do that, then? Send them an invitation? Remind that young boy that the dear undead Captain enjoys so much of you? Are you so sad, because you missed the chance to pop that particular cherry? How, my dear Torchwood One man, should we bring out the group that coddles aliens like myself?"

Vince cast a glare at him before saying, "We let them see me, know that I'm here. Ianto will come after me, and so will the others, wanting to protect each other. It won't take much. Just a glimpse of my face, and he'll want his revenge against me."

The others nodded, seeing the merit in this suggestion. Ulamo looked around at them, then back at Vince before smiling. "That is a good idea. I'm glad you thought of it, Vince. A glimpse of your face is all that anyone would need to be reminded of what you almost did to him...and a note, I think. A note, and knowing you're around, would send anyone looking for us and allow us to spring our traps, wouldn't it?" Ulamo's face broke into the split, inhuman grin he wore, his eyes now filled with mirth that caused Vince to relax. "So that is what we will give them."

Vince nodded, starting to head out when he found himself grabbed, a small band going around his neck before Ulamo said, "I never said they would see you when you were _alive. _This bad will give you cuts for three hours. Long enough for someone to find you. It also won't harm your face."

Vince gasped as the first cut bleed through, dropping blood onto the floor as it quickly soaked his sleeve and arm.

Ulamo pushed him forward, tossing him into the van before saying simply, "You should never touch what isn't yours, Vince. Let this be a very ending lesson."

--

"Lucite?" Ianto asked, confused.

"That's all it is, with some odd compounds that are generally alien, but not enough that anyone wouldn't be able to confuse it with that," Toshiko said.

Owen motioned to the body, "And these weren't made by anything. They just...appeared. From what we can tell, the lucite collar might have had something to do with that. It's structure is changed and when we divide them, we get one as general lucite and acrylic glass, the other as a code for creating these types of wounds."

Jack frowned. "So we have something that's simple to make, but changed in a way that's deadly, and killed a former Torchwood employee who's been MIA since Canary Wharf."

"On top of that," Gwen said, "there's some CCTV footage that's been cut out as well, from three days ago at that building where Ianto said he saw something like that lucite item. The one in the building showed someone entering the area, but after he gets the item it blanks out to the next day."

"And I tried to find it, but none of the files are around, or too corrupted to be put back together," Toshiko said, "this is the type of things Torchwood One used to do."

Ianto nodded, "So there's more of them."

"Who is the question," Jack said, "and what we have to find out, as well as find the missing guy from the film." The grainy picture, showing a man of medium height with dirty-blond hair, a plain blue shirt and jeans, was up on the screen as Jack looked over at it, "He's been missing three days. That's not good."

There was a sudden buzzing as the group looked around. It sounded almost like an intruder alert but at the same time--

A whirling noise suddenly filled the room as a tall, blue wooden box slowly appeared into view.

--

Andrew looked at the alien as it slowly blinked awake, now hung from the hook on the ceiling, the small vial of blood for testing withdrawn before he said to Ulamo, "I'll check on it, sir."

Ulamo nodded, looking over at the other alien who seemed to slowly work himself into the world around him after being asleep for so long. Ulamo had wanted him to recover a little more so the work could be more of a 'challenge'. Andrew knew that with Vince's body and the lucite item, it wouldn't take long for the other Torchwood to find them and run into the trap, which he had called "the Nightmare Room".

But for now, Ulamo had carried in the box of lucite bands he had created for the purpose of torturing others. Andrew, the oldest of the bunch to have joined Ulamo after the fall of Torchwood One, knew that they could be used on humans and Sidra alike with ease, and had been used to help him build the Nightmare Room for that reason.

But his area of torture and information gathering had never been what the other's had been. His had been chemicals and those products. He had helped Ulamo create and recreate the various lucite items he now was going to use on that Sidra.

And while he was at it, he would find what it would take to make that Sidra's life miserable.

Early on, Ulamo had shown that his blood and body reacted easily to any type of drug or narcotic, creating something interesting for Andrew to look into, which he had. Ulamo hadn't minded, wanting to use it for any other Sidra that appeared. With that one now, he could do more look.

Andrew smiled as he placed a small drop of blood on his microscope and began his study to find the right chemical to make the younger alien give over the information.

--

The bands were all colored differently, and Marius recognized them by the colors often associated with galactic emergencies or just the colors more often associated with certain things. He happily noted no black colored bands...black usually indicated death or deadly natures.

_Like he said...I'm not going to die _yet.

Ulamo picked up a mauve colored one. _Dangerous_. Marius looked over as Ulamo walked up. "I sent your friends a package. They should have gotten it by now, and as well they'll be investigating into it. They'll work their way here, and to you. I'd like the names of the ones that I'm to protect, so I can make sure you're fine for a while longer."

Marius stayed silent as the band was fastened to his arm. "Very well then. Let's make you care a little more about that, my dear boy."

The band fastened, Marius suddenly felt his body jerk as pain radiated down that side, like he was being repeatedly hit by a bat or train or something as another band was fastened to the other arm.

_Red...what's Red? Not dangerous...it's...oh what is it?_

"If you yell my name, if you yell 'I will', then I'll take them off," Ulamo said as the other one fastened to him and he remembered with the pain.

_Fire...oh Elders..._

His left side was on fire, being burned and regenerating to be burned again as his other side was a mass of hits by solid objects that stole his breath. The pain was so much and yet something refused to let him slip into unconsciousness, something held him there to experience it over and over again as he fought and lost against the scream that left his body as he tried to ride out the pain but failed.

The one to the side was joined by another one...Marius couldn't classify the colors as more pain, this one cold and biting, hit him with the same force as the blunt object hitting him that wasn't and the fire that burned him but wasn't.

"Are you ready to tell me, boy? I have so many colors, and so much time. We have all the time in the world until Andrew is done with his research. Are you ready to tell me and not see what it is that Andrew is good at?"

_I promised to protect them. I can't give them up. I won't._

"Boy? Tell me?"

Marius gasped at the pain before his voice caught and he shouted "No" while the pain continued.

Then the pain was gone completely and his body slumped, gasping for breath as the bands were put the side and two more were brought up to him. "A pity. Shall we continue then?"

Marius' body shook as he struggled to recover from the hit before Ulamo put the items down. "Open up the connections. Let me see who you're connected with. Let me _know, _so that I can bring them to you."

Marius shook his head.

"I can do so much to you, boy. I can pull so much from you it would hurt more then any of your line has felt. Tell me, and I'll stop this pain."

Marius shook his head.

"Are you enjoying this then? Do you want me to continue, and wait for them to come in broken?"

Something moved in the back of Marius' mind but he ignored it in favor of the here and now. "Y-you won't. T-th-they w-wi-will stop y-you."

Ulamo smiled. "So confident. I suppose they might. But in the meantime, I shall have my fun."

The two bands went now around his neck as Ulamo used his hair to hold his head up. "This will cause you a good amount of harm. Please, scream all you like from this. It will be on for a few minutes, but that will feel like days I'm told."

The two clamps closed, and as the pain went through him, Marius began to scream.

--

"OUT! Both of you, out!" the male voice sounded off as two figures, both familiar to Jack, stumbled out of the TARDIS doors and were followed but another male that had dark brown hair and a doctor's suit before the door was closed and he looked up before saying, "Ah, we are here. I knew she could do it. Well...ah, could you not point guns at us?"

Jack motioned for Gwen and Owen, who had pulled their guns, to put them away before saying, "To what do I owe the honor? I didn't think I'd run into you so soon, Doctor."

The Doctor looked up at him then pointed at the male. "Ask him! I was being perfectly fine and alone when he jumped into my ship and then--."

"OH, will you stop _bitching _because the TARDIS likes me and choose to listen to me and not you? Half of this mess is your fault anyway and you _will _fix it or so help me I will--."

"Avery," Lilith said, "I think he'd like an explanation as to _why _we're here anyway."

Avery, as the male was called, paused at this and nodded. "Right. I forgot about that, and we're late anyway. Come down here and let me see you all! I've heard enough about you guys from Marius, I think I can meet you and explain it without having to yell anyway."

At Jack's movement, the group slowly moved down to where the three and the TARDIS was before Avery said, "Well, I'm Avery. Jack knows the Doctor and Lilith..."

"Too well," Jack said, remembering his time on the _Valiant _and what had happened, though to look at Lilith it was obvious she had done something that had taken it's toll on her.

"You can get that tone out of your voice right now about my niece, Mr. Harkness," Avery told him, "I'm here to recruit your group in a rescue mission."

"Rescue?" Owen asked.

"Yes," the Doctor said, "Apparently one of their race went missing and they want us to find him and kill someone."

Both Lilith and Avery gave him a look that told Jack that the Doctor had obviously missed the point.

"Ulamo is hardly _anyone._" Lilith's voice was obviously strange and as if she was holding back barely-concealed contempt for the one named.

Avery turned to Toshiko and handed over a small CD. "Ulamo is a Sidra, like myself and Lilith. We watch over younger races like Humans and Time Lords, and Marius is your Caretaker."

Ianto and Jack blinked as many missing pieces clicked into place before Jack said, "Come upstairs. We'll discuss the whole thing."

--

The door closed on the hoarse screams of the younger Sidra as Ulamo walked out to look at the work Andrew was doing. "Is it ready?"

"It is. But you can play a little longer" Andrew shrugged, "I'm not sure what this will do for his connections to the group, but if one of them is well-connected, he could feel the effects it has on Marius, and force them here sooner."

Ulamo nodded. "Good. I think I noticed one that's closer. It will help me as well. I'm open the opening a little more after you give him the drug. What is it?"

"Lysergic acid diethylamide," he told Ulamo simply, "a low dose for Humans, but high for your species. Enough that he will be in discomfort for a good while."

Ulamo nodded. "Good work. If that's all, I'll go back to my work then."


	11. The Unwanted Connection

Thanks to the...one...reviewer other then Saline Dreamer who reviews and is worried about Marius. I am sad to say that you must continue to worry. Still, thanks for the reviews, **bbmcowgirl** !

**Ten: **The Unwanted Connection

Avery leaned back in the chair. "Marius is the Caretaker for the Rift here on Earth. Because of that he extended it to you lot, and thereby records all information about you. Birth dates, important events, etc. Some are also responsible for the growth of a group--."

The Doctor snorted and earned a glare from Avery, "_However _it might look to the Client Race, it has to be approved and deemed acceptable by the Exarch and other higher members of our race."

Owen chimed in. "So you all do _paperwork_?"

"On every species, planet, and race in all the known universes," Lilith said, "There are others in our group, because where we live is outside of Time, so what's linear for us is time travel for others. Those who are in charge of keeping records on dead races are called Curators. Lilith was a Curator for the Doctor's race, up until her father took over again and she became a Field Agent."

Toshiko paused. "But he's alive...you said--."

"He's the last of his kind," Jack told them, "and I guess they decided to make that be a 'dead race'."

Lilith nodded. "No point in keeping it open as a Caretaker when you only have one Client...though with all the trouble he gets into..."

The Doctor looked back at her. "Hey! I'm good. I help people!"

Both Jack and Lilith gave a small sound that said all there was about 'helping people'.

"I do!"

Avery shook his head. "It's okay, I know you try. You and Lilith both, but we're getting off topic."

Gwen nodded. "What about Marius?"

"Marius, for all his normal nature, is a member of a line of Seidra. Like Vensha he's an Elder of our Race and people rarely see him, and also like Vensha, his line gains specific powers granted to them. Lilith and I, who are both members of Vensha's line, have a small connection that allows us to see the future. She's better at it then I am...I usually will say something and end up making it like a jinx because it's a future thing. Marius' line, though, are strong telepaths. Strong enough that they made poor Caretakers because they tend to become connected to their Clients, or even to just one of them. Marius himself has a connection to all of you."

Ianto blinked. "What?"

"During that event in the country, Marius left to investigate after the disappearance of another Field Agent. When you reached a certain point, whichever body he had chosen to ride along with he got caught in, and could only leave through physical contact. From what he reported, he decided against it and did what he could to protect that person."

The group looked at Ianto. Despite Gwen having been shot during the trip, Ianto had more bruises and trauma to worry about, which was why Owen had been surprised when he had healed so quickly.

"That crack..."

"He took the blunt of a hit that would've given a massive concussion, and the end result was, as you knew everyone so well, or at least as well as you did, he connected to everyone through you. You became what could only be an accidental Hub for his connection to everyone else. He later chose another Hub for sanity's sake."

Toshiko paused before asking, "You mean a focus point? Who, and why for sanity's sake?"

Avery paused in thought before saying, "The connections created by someone within Seidra's line can only be broken if one person dies. We Sidra are, for all intents and purposes, demi-gods. We only die if forced into such a situation. Most of our Clients, however, have a finite lifespan. The connection Marius created allows him to be connected to all of you until you die. Until then, he feels everything and can take on your hurts or emotional states, but with the Hubs, he feels them more then the others and uses them as a focus point, like Toshiko said. So, given that he's immortal for all rights and purposes, and that Ianto isn't, this leaves him only one other person to turn into a Hub in order to stay sane after any or all of you die."

"Me," Jack said softly. "But that would mean..."

"That if you keep taking risks with your immortal nature I come down and beat sense into you because it causes Marius grief? Yes."

Jack shifted then asked, "And who's Ulamo, then?"

Lilith looked down at the cup before her and glared. "Something that shouldn't have happened or been allowed to live."

Avery nodded. "Of course, Lilith has only heard about Ulamo's exploits. I and her father had to live through it and listen to the trial. I also was brought in to help treat the Sidra that finally found out about Ulamo, but he was dead before I got there."

The Doctor spoke up again, "Considering everything and all the paperwork I've had to go through at least once, how much trouble could he be?"

Avery looked at him before saying, "You would say that what Lilith's done requires some discipline, though not to our standards of course."

The Doctor's face darkened slightly before he nodded.

"Well, Ulamo's actions make Lilith's look like she was applying for the most chaste and holy nunnery in the known galaxies and it makes the Master look like, I dunno...you."

Lilith sat back before saying, "He destroyed, mutilated, or corrupted up to 50 races, destroyed more planets then any other race on record, and is responsible for various 'H'-class races. The one that you might remember best would be the Mondasians."

"WHAT?" The Doctor blinked. "But...they said..."

"Ulamo, from what we could find, traveled to the planet and created a partly-converted Cyberman and left him for others to find. While they ended up killing the man due to his metal instability, the end result was the slow but eventual conversion into Cybermen." Avery paused and considered, "There was some rumor that he was responsible for Skaro too, but he didn't admit to it. Everything else, yes, but that? He seemed disappointed he didn't know about it until later."

The Doctor moved back in his chair and finally asked, "What was his sentence?"

"Death," Lilith said, "Not like mine, but full Death away from our area and in another one where the body could never be recovered. No funeral, no rites as a Sidra, just put him in a body and kill him. He didn't return, no one heard about him, so it was assumed he was dead."

"Until Marius saw the bracelet...thing...in the drawer," Ianto said, "The one I saw."

Avery nodded. "He requested some time off to investigate, and hasn't been heard from since. When I realized what happened, I went to grab the Doctor and get Lilith out. She's the only one who could possibly help you lot find Marius, plus it would be therapeutic for her, since his distress caused her...well...let's not go into that, I'm still trying to figure out the details myself."

Jack cast a look at Lilith before saying, "But if we have a connection, couldn't we try to find him ourselves?"

Avery frowned. "The only one with any possible chance would be Ianto, and only because Marius and he show off too many signs of blending personalities."

"Come again?" Owen asked.

"Ianto and Marius were in the same body when Marius created the connections, making him an accidental Hub," the Doctor tried, "but that would also mean that his connection to Ianto is stronger then if he created a normal Hub, right?"

Avery nodded, "In theory. I'm not a member of the Seidra line, and none of the ones who are sane or living right now have had any accidental Hubs. I'm only going off of what he reports to me as well as noted changes and what I see from his file on Ianto."

Gwen spoke up now. "So Ianto and he are connected, but so are all of us to him. At the same time, he's more connected to Ianto and Jack then he is to anyone else. Why wouldn't Jack be able to have a chance?"

Jack answered, "Because normal Hubs don't get too connected, right? It's just when they die...some part of them dies and it's too much for them to take."

Owen now chimed in, "So with Ianto, the mistaken created Hub, which no offense on that either mate, means that he's more open to Ianto's feelings then anyone else's?"

Avery nodded again. "But again, in theory. I don't know how Ianto or Marius would react to either one _actively _seeking out the other when they don't want to be seen, and the results could be bad when trying to break the connection and return either of them to their rightful minds, if it were to happen at all."

Ianto leaned back again, taking a quick drink of the coffee before saying, "But we have to try, don't we? I can...it's like on the tip of my tongue, but something's holding it back too. We have to try, in order to find him and rescue him."

Jack reached over and touched Ianto's shoulder. "Ian...it's your choice, though. This is very dangerous."

Avery frowned. "Extremely and with a high possibility that the blending that's already happening will continue at a higher state, or even make it so you stay within Marius, or Marius stays within you. Both result in the total loss of either personality."

Ianto took in a breath, then said, "We have to try. I'm willing to take that risk."

--

"It's primitive, but it'll work for the time being, as long as Lilith and I hold it steady," Avery said, "and no, your head won't explode from this, either."

"It doesn't always explode heads," Gwen said, "It revealed that sleeper agent."

"Oh, _them_," Lilith snorted, "I'm glad they haven't found out about us yet."

Avery shrugged, "Like they could. Either way, they're rather annoying little parasites, and so is their Caretaker."

"If you two are done," the Doctor pointed out, "we do have a member of your race to save."

Avery cast him a glare. "Don't rush it. You have some telepathic abilities but they're camp compared to a Seidra line's abilities, or even that of Lilith's. Now, Jack...you need to be his connection to this place. If you think he's gone too far, call him back, however you can, but keep it in the PG-13 ratings."

Jack gave her a look and shrugged. "I dunno..."

"Even if he's personality's gone, his body will react, so you won't be able to tell anyway and you'll just be wasting your time. Figure out something else."

Ianto looked up as Gwen slowly placed the probe down on his head and gave him a weak smile. "You come back now, hear?"

Ianto gave a nod and waited as Toshiko powered up the mind probe that had only been taken out a few days ago before he felt it hit him hard. He let out a gasp before it seemed to stop and--

--There was a door, like the one to the Hub, and he was alone within it. Ianto blinked and looked around, noting that despite it being the Hub itself, more things that were personal to himself were there then there where things belonging to others. A few doors that weren't supposed to be there were also nearby, all of them shut tight and with various names or symbols he related to the other Torchwood personnel on them.

He turned back to the door and slowly approached it, noting that it was open but seemed to be stuck, closed from the other side. Curiosity got the better of him and knelt a little to look through the fogged glass on one side.

There was a strange room, featureless and with one door, which appeared simple but Ianto could see the few trap lockings on it. A quick look told him all he needed to know about it and he was amazed to realize he could unlock it if push came to shove and they became trapped there.

_Morbid idea._

Ianto stood and put his hand to the door--

--His body jerked against some strange pain in his head, pushing him forward as the two Sidra on his sides touched the mind probe, helping--

--everything hurt, more then that, he couldn't think beyond not giving the names, not saying, staying silent about it even above all the pain and humiliation, they would find him--

Ianto pulled his hand away quickly, holding onto the wrist as if it burned before taking another deep breath. He could do this. He could get past this. He could deal with this, and figure out where that other person in his head was.

With grim determination, Ianto put both hands onto the door and closed his eyes as--

--His body jerked in the chair, held down by the straps as he distantly heard voices--

--the door opened slightly--

--pain, all the pain, and his voice hoarse from screaming as the band was removed and his body slumped, his mind craving unconsciousness but unable to obtain it as the angelic face with pitch-black eyes came into view before the door. "Their names, boy. Who are they?"

No reply, he was too tired and wouldn't anyway. He couldn't.

Colored bands danced before his face then were put to the side as the man said, "I think it's time for another memory. Would you like that?"

A whimper as a hand was placed on his head and then--

--"No, please not again!" He heard someone call out a name that might be his--  
_The children stood before him, all of them cleaned and in white, all of them ready for what would happen._

"_All of you know what is to happen," he told them simply, smiling before pointing to the room. "Go on then."_

_The children walked single-file into the room, a row of tiny faces smiling upon seeing the gifts and toys spread out before them as they raced in, happily smiling and laughing as the door closed behind them. He waited before motioning and turning on the screen to the other room, which he walked into._

_Inside, the parents of the children waited patiently as he said over the communication system. "These are the last children to ever grace this world. Because of what you have done to displease me, I have made it so you cannot have children. Because they are the last...because I couldn't find it in myself to do the same to them...they will live for as long as I deem so. As you have been obedient to me for ten months before this rebellion," he smiled as he pushed the small switch, "They have ten minutes before the gas released in the vents just now will kill them. I expect you all to watch. Anyone who doesn't...well...I have time on my hands. So much time..."_

_The children continued to play and laugh until one of them coughed. The more did, and suddenly the white became spotted with red as another's cough turned the floor dark with blood. He smiled as the parents wailed while the children cried and bleed out through their pores and eyes, waited as the toys and pristine white gowns became soaked and they fell to the ground, a few convulsing harshly until their spines or necks audibly broke, some enough that bones protruded from the skin._

_After the ten minutes was up, all the children were dead and he said over the speakers, "Rejoice that the Mondasians are coming, that they will convert your poor flesh into metal and take away your emotions. You can be their children, and forget this poor sadness...or you can open the door and join them. No matter what, you are done for. Be at peace."_

"_Murderer! COWARD! Traitor! You promised us salvation!"_

_The cry continued as he stood and walked back to where the door was, contemplating the idea before switching the vents outward. "Then don't take my gift. I suppose you're all better off out of the picture anyway. There's no room for peace in this universe, anyway."_

He couldn't pull away, he—where--why--

--someone held his hand tightly, calling a name he didn't understand where was he--

--"Who are they?"--

--his hand were on fire, merging with the door as if he was falling through--

--a small pat on the face that burned, "Who?"--

--who was calling to him? Was that his name? What was he saying?--

--A wicked smile, nearly splitting the man's face in half. "Who is that in you now, boy?"--

--he couldn't return, he was stuck, falling through the door and oh god--

--voices around him, yelling to break a connection--

--The grin grew closer, hands on the aching shoulders, "Who is that there? Is that one of your Hubs, there to save you?"--

--hub-

--hub--

--hub--the hub—he-the hub--

"IANTO" "MARIUS"

who am I?--the hub—I'm in the Hub...I am a Hub...the Hub...

Torchwood—the Rift—Cardiff--Canary Wharf--

_The air was hot and full of screams, her screams, as the Cyberman nearby kept him in place by fear alone, waiting before just as suddenly it was called away and the metallic roar from inside disappeared but the screaming--_

--Lisa--Jack

--Jack--

--Jack Harkness--

--Captain Jack Harkness--

--Captain Jack Harkness, leader--

--Leader of Torchwood Three, Cardiff, the Hub...--

--Lover of--

--Lover of Ianto Jones--

Ianto gasped as he found himself back in the present, or what felt like it, fighting to be freed of the restraints as he felt something come off of his head and someone else take off the restraints before he fell forwards, trying to get away but caught in strong arms. The familiar scent, the feel of that, the warmth and security made him stop and return the hug, grasping onto him like a dying man in water.

"I got you, Ianto," Jack's voice flowed through him as he shook, his whole body feeling like it had been through everything that was going on, his shoulders aching but he had to take comfort in the feeling of Jack holding him.

He felt himself slowly dragged up to his feet and didn't quite realize where he was until he was lying on the examination table, slightly panicking until a face that shouldn't have been as familiar as it was looked down at him.

"Avery."

"How do you know me?" Avery asked, looking intently into his eyes.

How did he? He had just met him! But there was another, stranger idea. "I...I just met you. But...but I know you. I trust you."

Avery frowned then asked, "What is the code for the Human Race?"

"Code?"

"Never mind," Avery gave a smile. "You only got a little, but it was enough for some trauma. You might not remember some things for a minute or a day."

Owen frowned as he came up and shook his head. "Whatever happened, he shouldn't have some of these either." He motioned to Jack to help him removed Ianto's jacket before Ianto winced at the pain in his shoulder. Owen scanned it and let out a mild curse. "Your shoulder's nearly dislocated, and on top of that, you have electric burns, mild hypothermia, and more bruises then I care to count."

Lilith looked over at Avery and asked, "Is that was Marius would have?"

"To a degree. My guess is that he and Ianto end up sharing wounds too, so some of his would heal and transfer to Ianto, however unintentional it was."

Her features darkened as the Doctor came up beside her. "Did you find out where he would be?"

Ianto shook his head. "I...there's just a feeling. Like I could find it if I saw it...but I don't know. I don't know if that's what that...that..." he paused, unsure of how to describe the sadistic torturer who had noticed him.

The two Sidra looked at him, worry in their eyes. "You saw Ulamo?"

Ianto grimaced as Owen gave him some painkillers. "He noticed me...in Marius' mind. He put a...a memory...into Marius head. I--" Ianto felt himself shaking, trying to suppress the memory. "I don't want to remember it...but I could _feel _it. Everything. He..." Ianto choked back bile as a cool hand rubbed up and down his spine.

"You don't have to tell us, Ianto," Jack said as Owen and Toshiko went to help check him over, "It's okay."

Ianto shook his head. "It isn't. He...that was the third memory. The worst. I..."

Avery put a hand on his shoulder and he felt himself wince through the pain. "If you go back, he'll only harm Marius more for the two names. He has yours, and that's bad enough. But we can help out only if you let us heal you first."

Ianto finally nodded and allowed himself to be checked over, Jack staying nearby as Avery, Lilith and the Doctor headed outside to talk.

--

Ulamo walked out of the room, looking over at Andrew who stood with the syringe in hand. "It's ready then?"

"Yes. You seem happy."

Ulamo gave a small grin. "I know who his Hubs are. And they will be on their way shortly."


	12. Never Going to Find Me

_SalineDreamer's chapter, which follows the Doctor and Lilith's POV for the next three chapters, is up in So Much Dust. Go and read, and see what happens from there!  
And once again, thanks to my one reviewer...the rest of you can have writer's block for eternity. She gets cyber-cake ;-)_

**Eleven: **Never Going to Find Me

Clive looked up as George leaned over, grabbing the remote. "Of all the shows, why this one?"

"I like the blond," Clive pointed out, "she's lovely."

George rolled his eyes. "I never took you as a Joanna Lumley type guy."

"Edina's too needy."

The remote clicked, turning off the show as it came to the end. "Hey!"

"Ulamo wants us to help him move the alien," George said, "He said he's got something planned for getting the Hubs or whoever to come here."

Clive nodded. "Well, shouldn't keep him waiting then. He might get mad."

George shuddered, remembering the last moments they had seen of Vince before Ulamo took him out to dump his body for Torchwood Three to find. All of them knew that Ulamo would do worse if truly angry, but at the time he had made Vince a lesson to the others in not crossing the deranged alien in anything.

--

Marius didn't have the strength to protest as he was lowered down then taken out of his cell, his mind only partly awake and his body refusing to obey any commands due to sheer exhaustion.

He couldn't understand how Ianto got into his mind, and now his all-encompassing worry was that Ulamo would find a way back to him, then to the others. The fact that he had heard Lilith's voice during the short time he and Ianto had been nearly joined made Marius was confused about the whole thing, as it was. The last time he had seen Lilith, she was going down to turn herself in, and it hadn't taken long for word to get out of not only what her crimes were, but what her punishment had been. Right before he left, he had nearly hit someone who dared to claim she deserved it. What did they know?

But a Death Sentence was strict, especially the terms for hers. Ulamo's had been outside of their realm only because they didn't want to give him burial rights or anything else that would be required, but she had been handed over to Enforcement and...and...

He didn't want to think about it, couldn't think about it without feeling something inside of him twist. _Rats in my stomach, gnawing at me all the time...that's what Ianto said it was like._

Marius felt his body lifted and placed on a cool metal bed, like that of a medical stretcher, before straps were applied to his already-chaffed wrists and another to his ankles, one of which hurt greatly. He blinked against the natural light that now touched his face and looked around at the high crates and windows, like that of a plant or warehouse. Nearby, a folding table stood with various chemicals, vials and tubes, a beaker bubbling with clear smoke rising from it.

Panic took him briefly. Of all the things that Sidra were unable to really stand, narcotics and alcohol were one of them. No matter what the body or race, or their level of tolerance (and for Humans it was varied), Sidra could only take in a little before their blood reacted like anyone else taking a medium to large amount of it.

Ulamo walked up, standing over him like a demon over it's prey. "Are you ready to tell me their names, boy?"

Marius kept silent, not trusting his voice and unable to stop himself from shaking. He had to get through this. He couldn't let them be hurt.

"You're resilience is only going to cause you more pain. Don't you care yet about that, or about that one who bravely went into your mind?"

He did, but... "No."

Ulamo gave a small smile. "Then I won't spare you anything while I go after him. After all, he came in searching for something...possibly where you were. Let's give him what he wants, shall we?"

--

Ianto blinked himself awake, trying to find the reason he had awoken in such a state. Jack had taken him into his office and told him to get some rest and _not _try to contact Marius again. Owen seemed fine with the idea and hadn't protested as much as usual while the others tried to figure out where Marius would be held.

But that hadn't woken him. He looked around the Hub in confusion. No one was there...but they would've woken him to tell him where they had gone. Now they did...he was part of the team now, part of them as more then just the gofer or—but what had woken him.

It dawned on him like a ton of bricks as he stood quickly. This wasn't the _Hub_, where Torchwood Three was, but...the Hub, where he and Marius were connected, where Marius had connected to the others.

"Shit," he whispered, realizing that he had come here by mistake.

"A mild word for it, I'm sure," the voice...Ulamo! Ianto whirled only to stagger back, coming face to face with the being that had caused so much torment to Marius and apparently many others. A smile lit the being's face. "Oh, did I startle you?"

"What are you doing here?" Ianto couldn't think of anything else to say, "Why are you here?"

"I wanted your name, dear boy. The other is being quite reluctant to give it to me, or the name of the other Hub of his..."

Ianto felt himself stiffen. "I won't tell you either."

Ulamo gave a disgusting laugh. "You're both so eager to defend them! It makes me so happy, knowing I will have so much fun breaking you both. I've never seen any two beings so connected and yet separate in their thoughts and actions." He took a step forward, forcing Ianto to step back. Two more and he'd be backed up against Jack's desk...not a position he wanted to be in now.

"If you told me, though, I'd be much kinder. I would ensure those you cared for were not harmed overly much, were given the necessities of any race's survival. I might even put a stop to what we're doing to to the boy. Can't you see it?"

--He was strapped to a table, unable to move, Ulamo above him, holding his head and reaching into him, it hurt, oh Elders it hurt but he couldn't give in--

Ianto found himself against the desk, gasping in pain. "Stop it. Get out of here!"

Ulamo laughed. "Are you so sure? Give me a name, and I will."

"NO!"

"You both seem to enjoy the pain. Perhaps more will--."

Ulamo staggered, as if hit by a sudden force as Ianto glared at him. "Get out!"

Ulamo stood shakily, his smile now seeming to cut his face in half and his eyes emotionless and dark like that of a shark. "Oh so you're playing now? Let me raise the bar."

--A needle, the clear fluid toxic to him, stuck him and he struggled against it as the plunger depressed. "This is enough to be fatal for him." A new voice said, causing him to look over at the man--

Ianto staggered, holding onto the table for support as Ulamo started to approach him again but stopped a few feet away. "He healed after you left. How is that possible, human? Tell me."

Ianto shook his head. "No. Leave him alone."

"So you keep telling me. I don't see what you'll do about it. He only has so long."

Ianto knew that. He could feel it, even with that small amount of a connection that they had together. But if he did what he wanted to do to help Marius...

"GET," he growled, "out of our heads!"

With that, Ianto felt himself give a sudden, violent push as

Marius heard the voice, the severe demand, and with what strength he had reached over to wrench the intruder out of

Ianto shuddered, feeling the cool hands leave Marius' head before he closed his eyes, trying to think of how it had been done. He hadn't realized what he had been doing last time, only trying to help, but now...now was a matter of life or death.

He reached out, touching the feeling of being Marius instead of Ianto, but instead he found himself latched to this space by--by?

_Jack's desk._

"_Plenty of things a stopwatch can be used for."_

_The smell of his jacket, carrying his scent as Ianto tried to wait but gave up hope all the same, wanting him to return as much as Gwen did..._

_jack...jack is my rock..._

_**jack is our rock to sanity, to not falling into that void...jack, help us!**_

--

Jack raced up the stairs at the sound of Ianto's cry, skipping most of them in order to reach the younger man and hold him as he trashed on the couch, his body seeming to be trapped in sleep.

"Ianto! Ianto, wake up!"

"Jack," his voice seemed to be too far, as if he wasn't sure how to return. "Where..."

"Here, Ianto. I'm here in the office."

Ianto's body seemed to stop, his whole body shaking as slowly he opened his eyes, looking up at Jack. Owen, who stood nearby, let out a mild curse. "He's drugged now? How the bloody hell--."

"Ulamo found me," Ianto whispered, "he had another member from Torchwood One giving Marius a...a drug. I...I don't...the world's off, Jack."

Jack smoothed out Ianto's sweat-slicked hair as Owen muttered, "I need to talk to Avery and Lilith about this. Keep him here, and make sure he's fine."

"What is it?" Jack asked, glancing at Owen as he held Ianto.

"LSD. The bastards gave them LSD."

--

"The goggles will give him various images and colors, and continue to do so," Andrew told Ulamo as he put the last of the headgear onto the alien, "and the phones will conduct sounds of various levels as well. For anyone on a trip, it will be a little bad, but for him?" Andrew gave a small chuckle, "'Bad trip' is a mild way of putting it, isn't it?"

Ulamo nodded, looking over at the switch. "Ultimately, yes. He's been given enough to survive on?"

"The water's enough for a few more days, and the drug will last a few hours at most," Andrew told him, "After that you'll have to go for another memory, or something more. I dunno anyone else who can stand this long and not crack."

Ulamo looked down at the half-naked young man still strapped to the examination table. His eyes and ears covered by the machines, his face pale and sweating from exhaustion and the effort to fight the drug and all other influences around him, and his body ridden with bruises and other signs of abuse.

Before he was done the body would be even more hurt and beautiful, and the mind a broken thing. This ones _and _the other who had defied him. He wondered if he could keep them as pets, a set of twins forever broken and unable to support the other...

"Are you going to keep him out here?" Ulamo asked quietly, ghosting a finger slowly across the younger Sidra's abdomen and watching as he shook and tried to move away from the contact.

"It'll be easier to put him back in the oubliette," Andrew pointed out, "if that other one found out anything, that is."

Ulamo nodded. "He did. I ensured he did. Subtle hints are the best, so that when the drug is still in him he'll remember it and tell them. Of course, I doubt they'll wait for him to be fine before they come here, so we'd best hurry. Is the Nightmare Room ready?"

Andrew nodded happily, "Of course. I'll have to change the settings for humans as well..."

"No. Just leave it for the Sidra. I would like to see how helpless they feel when they realize they can't do anything to help them. I also wonder, what is that one's nightmare? The voice sounded familiar somehow..." Ulamo waved it off. "It doesn't matter. They'll arrive and do their part, and I shall arrive to do mine. Clive and George?"

Andrew picked up the two mugs and gave a small smile. "Taken care of in a few moments. I still need two people to move the alien."

Ulamo nodded. Of course, it helped him a good deal that Andrew thought like him. A pity he didn't realize his part in this plan, but neither did Clive or George. No point in changing a pawn into a Queen when it was better as a sacrifice anyway.

"Then get them ready, and the boy as well. I'll be waiting, and very disappointed if those Torchwood Three members don't appear."

--

Ianto once more traced the outline, frowning as he looked at it and the smooth lines. Owen had said that the drug would take a while to wear off, and in the meantime had been watching over him like a hawk, as if worried he would fall asleep again. Both Avery and Jack were nearby too, Jack currently looking at the second of the drawings Ianto had started to do in order to pass the time. The drawings seemed to be the only thing besides Jack that stayed still, that stayed _real._

He heard the group talking but couldn't make out the sounds completely as he finished the drawing again and frowned, his mind trying to connect with it when it didn't want to. Why was it staying in place? Everything else seemed to float away, change, morph, _breath_ when it shouldn't and yet this stayed the same.

"Ianto."

Ianto leaned into Jack's touch and put his head into the crook of Jack's neck, breathing in his scent.

"It's a map. We think it leads us to where Marius might be. We have to leave you at the Hub, though...do you want to stay here?"

If he stayed here, the only thing stable would be the desk, but...but that was enough.

Ianto nodded into Jack's neck, then muttered, "Hurry. I don't...I don't know how much more he can take before..."

Jack's hands rubbed up and down Ianto's body, comforting him as they always did. He would keep Ianto safe, he would be able to chase away all the bad things like he always did.

"We'll find him, and we'll get him away from Ulamo. I promise."

--

He couldn't close his eyes, or stop the images or sounds. He fought against it, fighting the constant noises and sounds that morphed into colors of images he half-remembered or that weren't his own memory. Cybermen invading countless areas, both the old ones and in Canary Wharf, the aftermath in so many views it spun and contradicted itself. Blood and gore mingled with strange landscapes that never were again, only in his own memory as brief as it was of how Saxon changed things and--

His body struggled, the restraints holding him in place in the nightmare as he tried to free himself, the sensations of pain hitting him hard but making him remember that he was trapped within a body, unable to escape the torment and wishing it would end.

_Names._

But he couldn't end it. If he ended it they would be hurt and then it would me more images of death and destruction and he _couldn't give out their names. _

He heard a voice he vaguely recognized as his own, hoarse and begging for them to stop, begging to leave him alone, to let him sleep to give him some peace, _anything_, but always refusing to give out their names.

The names weren't there, though. He couldn't retrieve them easily, he didn't seem to know them either, they were elsewhere, in a corner of his mind that was shared and wasn't really his anyway. The lights and sounds continued, playing behind his eyelids and he was still unable to drown out the sounds of the voice in his ears, asking for the names.

He struggled, strained, tried to escape as he saw a person with blood and a small smile, causing him to relax only briefly. He blinked at the image, unsure of it's origin or even if it was real, and in a minute he didn't care. He tried to reach for her but couldn't, and she disappeared as all other images did.

"No! Lilith!"

"_Who is Lilith?_"

The voice meant nothing. "Lilith! Please, Lilith, come back! Help me! Please help me!"

The image or sense of safety didn't return as the nightmare increased instead.


	13. Rescue Me from Myself

**Twelve: **Rescue Me from Myself

Ulamo walked up, removing the headset that Andrew had created and placed on the younger Sidra, watching as the boy blinked at the light and closed his eyes, head tossing from side to side as if to rid himself of this reality.

"Still with us to a point, I see," Ulamo muttered, "You're resilience is quite nice."

The boy whimpered as Ulamo traced a hand down the side of his face to his neck. "Are you ready to talk yet?"

Still breathing hard and keeping his eyes shut, the boy remained silent, his whole body shaking and sweating as it had been the whole day. Ulamo wondered if the boy was sick, and dismissed the idea of healing him. Healing would only allow him to resist all the longer.

Ulamo picked up the strap from the other side of the table, tightening it across the boy's chest as he began to strive for breath, the strap pulling against his chest. "Are you so sure?"

No sound, only his heavy breathing as he coughed and struggled briefly against the strap then only against his own restraints. Ulamo gave a smile as he walked back over, picking up the larger item he had planned to use later on, but with time running low as it was. "They should be here soon, your friends. That girl, Lilith was her name? She might be here as well."

The boy's eyes opened and his head rolled to the side, blinking as if he couldn't focus on Ulamo or what he was doing.

"How embarrassed will you be if they walk in to find you like this?" the item was replaced by a stiletto knife that effectively cut through the remaining garments covering the boy. Ulamo put the knife back down before picking up the blunt object again. "If she is there, and you like her...do you think she'll take someone as destroyed as you are?" Ulamo easily forced the boy's knees and legs apart, meeting with some resistance as the boy once more whimpered, obviously unable to speak or not wishing to.

"You gave up one name already, boy." The object in place, Ulamo looked up at the boy. "Are the others really worth this?"

There was a pause before the boy gave a slow nod, leaning his head back and not even bothering to look at Ulamo.

With a growl, Ulamo shoved the item in and smiled as the boy let out a hoarse scream.

--

The SUV slowed to a halt as Jack and the others opened the doors and stepped out. The Doctor, Lilith, and Avery had joined Jack and Gwen in the rescue, leaving Ianto with Toshiko and Owen, Owen to watch over him and Toshiko to help monitor the area. With the knowledge of where Marius might be, Toshiko had done what she could to find video feed about the area, and while she had been able to come up with enough incriminating evidence against anyone in there, she had yet to find one showing anyone being taken into the warehouse itself.

"I wish you'd given me my gun," Lilith muttered as the group slowly approached the area, the Torchwood group with their own handguns ready.

"I read up about that rifle of yours," Jack said, "I wish she would too."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "If you guys are done comparing guns--."

"So says the man with a sonic screwdriver as _his _weapon."

"Yeah, because yours lasted so long."

Gwen and Lilith sighed and looked at the two men with a look only suffering women could pull off that basically said, "shut it".

Avery looked at the two and shook his head, looking over at the empty guard shack nearby. "Is it just me, or do guards normally turn off their teles if they're not in there?"

The group was silent as they slowly edged towards the guard shack, Jack looking in and saying, "One man down," he slowly moved to the door and, with it opened, checked the man's pulse. "Dead."

Avery frowned. "Well, this makes it almost too easy. I hope we're not walking into a trap now."

"Jinx us a little more while you're at it," Lilith muttered as Jack retrieved the keys and the group began to head into the place in search of Marius.

--

Ulamo pulled the object out, blood staining it as he walked back over to the front of the gurney. "Anything?"

Marius turned his head away from the voice, though not before Ulamo noticed the tear-stained face and paleness. "I didn't think as much. I rather enjoy our time together, boy. It's quite refreshing, being able to do this again." He dropped the blunt item, going back for the smaller knife. "Quite lovely, in fact. You have no idea how much I enjoy this."

A knock on the door stopped the descent of the knife as Andrew looked in. "Sir, they're here, and almost to the Nightmare Room. Do you want to--."

Ulamo nodded, straightening as he said, "Of course. How else can I greet our guests? What about the other two?"

Andrew smiled. "They're good for...bait."

Ulamo nodded as he casually walked by, slitting Andrew's throat before pushing him into the room and closing the door behind him. "They are, aren't they?"

--

"I don't like this," Gwen said as they reached the second body, unable to go anywhere due to the crates around and the empty rooms, "I feel like a bloody mouse in a maze."

"Probably what he wants," Lilith muttered as she looked around, "the bastard got a kick out of twisted things like this."

The Doctor looked around as well. "So I noticed. But why kill his men? Why not escape with them?"

"Burning his bridges," Jack muttered as they continued on, "he doesn't need them, no reason to keep the guys then, right?"

Avery stood and shook his head. "Well, whatever he gave them wasn't a pretty way to die, either. The bastard does enjoy making people suffer."

Lilith nodded. "He did. He was the first in a very long time to earn a Death sentence of the magnitude they gave him, and the only one that got it to where they took him elsewhere to kill him."

"Why elsewhere?" Gwen asked.

"To make sure he didn't get any burial rights," Avery answered, "The few of us that die, it's important to us that we have the burial rights. He would have just been killed and his body destroyed utterly...nothing to go on, no trace left but that. Even Lilith would have been afforded the kindness of a proper burial. But not him."

Avery looked up and sighed. "So now which way?"

--

Ulamo looked at the warm pool of blood in his hand, happily noting that the rest of the blood on the floor had flowed and covered up the disturbed part from earlier. He moved over to where the boy lay, his breathing erratic due to the constraint across his chest. The blood dribbled a small trail upward along his chest, until Ulamo petted the rest of the blood into the sweat-soaked hair.

"You need to scream for me, young one," he said, his other hand holding the microphone he had hooked up to the comm system for the building, "Show them the way here. Direct your pretty lady Sidra here with her friends. I grow tired of only one play-thing, and you are becoming dull."

The boy kept his eyes closed, his body trembling but otherwise not saying anything as Ulamo released his hair and walked downward to his feet, the stiletto sliding easily into his hand as he took hold of one of the feet and cut a small line down the sole. He smiled at the movement of the muscles and the continual resistance of the boy as he tried to fight against the restraints.

"Nothing?"

The boy remained silent, causing Ulamo's smile to fade as he cut a few more times before putting the knife down and picking up the sap nearby. While he knew the drug was still in the boy's system, it wasn't affecting him as it had before, and on top of that the boy's spirit was waning. If he didn't get new playthings soon, the abuse could either cause the boy to break or die.

Dying wasn't good. Ulamo wasn't done with this one, and he showed to be much more resilient then his relative had.

Ulamo dug his finger into the cuts, watching the bleeding intensify as the boy let out a low moan before trying to stifle it by biting his lip.

"How cute," Ulamo muttered sweetly before bringing the sap down hard, the crack of bone breaking drowned out by the hoarse scream the boy let loose, which he gladly turned on the microphone for. He cast a glance at the band around his upper arm and frowned upon seeing the mark for keeping him awake beginning to fade. He walked back over, listening to the boy moan from the new pain caused him from the broken foot, and pulled out the clear band as well as a small paintbrush, used by some of the Sidra Chronometrics to create the various types of bands used to hold in Sidra, or to be used by the Enforcers later on. He wrote quickly and effectively, picking the symbol to keep the boy awake and another to keep him screaming longer, slowly going through his old injuries and causing them to painfully reawaken.

He walked over, placing the band under the older one and saying simply, "Keep this up, little one. Let them come by your direction. I grow bored with only you...I need new blood to cover these floors."

The boy shook his head weakly from side to side, letting out another hoarse yell as he did.

"You have no choice, do you? They will come for you, and then I shall have more to play with."

--

Everything hurt, and he heard himself moan, occasionally a low scream, as much as he could with what breath he could, coming out as he fought against the pain from before and now.

Marius' mind couldn't fully function, the drug still sending signals of the walls breathing, of lights behind his eyes and something else keeping him awake longer then he should, the drug and something else keeping him from sleeping.

A small hope had flared in the idea that someone was going to rescue him, but at the same time he couldn't raise it over a spark. The Sidra woman...who could that be? Avery? Possibly. Yvenda? Maybe as well, being the Field Agent for Earth, but he didn't want to see her.

_I want to see Lilith..._

But that was impossible now. She had been given a Death Sentence, and therefore...therefore...

_But I heard her voice._

Marius couldn't find anything in his brain that could tell him if it was the truth or illusion. Everything from that time was too fogged up to remember or tell if it was reality or not.

_But I heard her voice._

He knew, though, that there was no way to save her. He had been able to save her twice before, but that time...the choice had been between helping her or doing his job. He couldn't do both, and it hurt, realizing he would have to sacrifice one for the other.

_She turned herself in. The trial was closed, only three people in the room. No matter what you tried, she wouldn't have been saved._

_But I heard her voice...somehow was she saved?_

It couldn't have happened. Not with what the Archives had on her activities on Earth, not with the way he had seen her. She was self-sacrificing, and walked in willingly.

Then her voice was what? A call he wanted to hear? He did want to hear it, and to see her again. But now the only way to do that would be--

_I won't give him the satisfaction of having me break._

Marius shuddered, only a moan coming out even as his mind decided it. He needed Lilith, and he couldn't stay in this world if she wasn't there.


	14. Nightmares of Past Revelations

**Thirteen**: Nightmares of Past Revelations

"So, who votes for finding another way that doesn't involve an obvious trap?" Jack asked.

"That is," Gwen added, "_if _we can find it."

The Doctor sighed as he looked at the room, which had two doors and was obviously _not _part of the original design of the warehouse. "She's got a point. This was a pretty direct maze, if you asked me."

"The more you all complain about this," Avery said, "the worse it'll be for Marius. I don't even want to know what that bastard's doing to him to get that scream out..."

The scream had gotten the group to hurry up until the door, where they had paused to consider it only to realize that there wasn't another way around. No matter what, they had to enter.

"Great," Lilith muttered as the group inched forward, Gwen heading straight for the door on the other side while Jack and the Doctor held the door opened. Avery and Lilith hurried in to help Gwen as the Doctor moved from the door just as it began to close.

"SHIT!" Jack cursed as he and the Doctor, then Lilith, did what they could to try and stop it from closing all the way but failed as it shut on them, Jack moving the gun and himself out of the way quickly enough to not be trapped or hurt as it sealed itself shut.

"Oh great," Lilith muttered as she looked around the room, Gwen on the other side and looking for something like a door. "I can't find anything here, Jack."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and huffed when the door failed to open. "Deadlock sealed. He knows how to trap people, doesn't he?"

"Let's not go into it," Avery said, shifting in her place in the middle of the room, "I don't like this."

Lilith rubbed her arms and nodded. "This is too much like that—like..."

"_Ah, another fellow convict. So you enjoyed the accommodations of the Enforcers as well?_" the voice caused everyone to jump, looking around as it chuckled. "_It's interesting to see that I'm now considered so below the beloved Exarch's view that she must send other convicts to deal with me. And if I'm not mistaken, that pretty young man is none other then Avery! My, you were different from the last time I saw you. If I recall right, your first job for Medical was the autopsy of that Seidra-line man I played with. I understand his family had to watch him die while you were trying to get there. The Enforcers were quite unhappy to lose you, weren't they?_"

"What do you want, Ulamo?" Avery muttered through gritted teeth.

"_To talk. To play. I didn't expect _two _Sidra, but I'm quite happy that I have them now. That the others are lower-life forms...really, I'm surprised. And that hybrid of a Sidra as well! What a lovely abomination you have with you there, my lovely Avery. You will tell me all about her, so I can be sure to not make any mistakes. No point in killing you off, not when this one that I have is so close to breaking or dying. I want him to watch._"

"Leave him alone!" Lilith yelled.

"_Temper. But the lower-ones are what interest me, especially the one who's destroyed his race. That _is _an accomplishment! Really...two in one blow. That must have been fun, to watch them all burn, to see all that you had and all that you hated turn into a brilliant nova of a dying star. Even at my height I never destroyed _two _at once. You will tell me what that's like, won't you? Tell me what it's like to be the Last of the Time Lords, after that other one went and died on you. How very silly of him. Dying does not allow gloating, or later fulfillment, does it? Just an end to being with one person you despise...silly. Selfish...stupid. But you lot are—were, forgive me._"

The Doctor glared up at the ceiling for a second before looking back at Lilith as she shivered suddenly. "_Do you know that there is enough acetylene in the room to work with your two lovely Sidras? It's a nicely created one that was dubbed the Nightmare Room. They'll be too busy to help you find the door. I suggest you hurry...the longer you take, the worse it will get for them. The longer you take, the more...unpleasant...it will be._"

Avery jerked suddenly, looking around as if trying to find something and not being able to see it as Lilith put both hands up to her ears, her head starting to shake from side to side.

"_Have fun._"

--

"Teach me again."

Avery shook her/his head, looking at the eager young Sidra. Why did he want to go into Enforcement anyway? What was wrong with him?

"Teach me," blood ran down his hands as he touched her face, "so that I may bring about ruin and destruction. Teach me what you know, my lovely master."

Avery pulled back from the touch, shaking her/his head at the images. "No. I can't. I won't! Not for you to do this!"

Ulamo smiled at her, his eyes dark. "To do what I was born to do? You never stopped to think why I wanted this, did you? You testified only as the one who found and looked into that Sidra's death, but never about how you used to mentor me."

"You wanted—I didn't..." Avery stumbled backwards, a sloshing sound making him/her look down and gasp as a small river of blood trailed from Ulamo to her/him.

"Of course you didn't," Ulamo muttered, "but that didn't make you still an accessory. Isn't that was the Exarch herself said? Isn't that what sent you to have to work at some of the races I had played with? After all, you became who you are now because you taught me. Now, teach me again."

"NO! Leave me alone! I didn't know, how could I? I didn't know until—I didn't...I couldn't..."

Avery dropped to her/his knees, sobbing, "I couldn't have stopped it. I couldn't." Slowly, from the depths of the blood, hands began to rise out and grab at his legs. "I couldn't. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

--

Jack turned back to the walls, trying hard to not listen as Avery muttered 'I'm sorry' over and over again, rocking on his knees while the Torchwood group and the Doctor, who cast glances at Lilith randomly to check on her situation, looked for the door.

"Nothing!" Gwen said, finishing her wall yet again, "This isn't good, Jack."

"I know," Jack replied, scanning for anything that might be a door. "But we have to keep trying. We don't have long."

"For Marius, or for them, or for us," the Doctor muttered as he quickly scanned his own wall. "I'm beginning to dislike this man."

"Only now?" Gwen muttered before pausing, her finger on something. "Jack...I think I found it."

Jack moved over as the Doctor paused, looking at Lilith before moving to help her, unnerved by her reaction as Avery slid down, now curling up in a ball on the floor and sobbing. As Jack passed him, a sudden, vivid red scratch cut across his arm.

"What the?" Jack paused only for a second before noticing the Doctor blink, seeming surprised at the sudden bruises and cuts forming on Lilith's body as well.

"Hurry!" Jack yelled, going to the wall to help Gwen as the Doctor tried to figure out what was going on with Lilith and Avery.

A sudden click, and the door swung open with a creak as Jack turned, grabbing Avery as the Doctor hauled Lilith up from the floor.

"Come on!" Gwen yelled as Jack and the Doctor pulled the two Sidra out of the room, the door closing quickly behind them as they found themselves in a dimly-lit corridor, different from the others, while Avery shuddered against Jack, leaning against him before letting out a sigh and a sob. "Lilith...oh," he pushed himself off Jack, stumbling slightly as he pulled open his kit to examine the still-unconscious Lilith.

"What was all that?" Gwen asked as Avery finished patching up Lilith and looked down, as if seeing the cut for the first time.

Avery paused before saying simply, "The room was designed to turn any trauma or illusions you saw onto your body. If the illusion hurt you, you'd physically be hurt. It happens with us at times."

Lilith jerked awake suddenly, starting to push against the Doctor then pausing upon seeing him. "Deja vu there.."

"Oh?"

Lilith shook her head, turning to look around the area. "Up there. Marius is up there."

--

He felt a cool hand on his face, and nearly moved away, but it felt too familiar.

_No, go away. I don't want to stay here._

The hand rubbed his cheek gently, and he heard a voice calling to him, the feminine voice familiar as he heard an odd sound, like a high-pitched whirling sound.

_I can't stay here. Leave me alone to die. I want--_

"Marius, wake up..."

The voice was familiar, and he couldn't stay asleep, or fall further then the strange darkness right before unconsciousness. He heard the whirling sound again and more voices, but they were garbled.

"Marius, open your eyes. Come on."

He felt himself respond to that voice, slowly blinking his eyes open against the fluorescent light of the room to see a shadow that looked familiar. He blinked as he looked at the face and frowned. That was...but it couldn't be her, she was dead.

"Lilith?" he whispered as the voices nearby grew a little louder. One sounded like it was directed at him but he couldn't tell, his head hurt too much and felt like it was packed with cotton.

A smile from the ghost. "That's right. I'm here to save you, Marius."

He could still hardly breath, and felt his cheek resting in her hand as he heard the voices again, Lilith looking that way and saying something, but it was lost in the void of sound that seemed to not hit him if not directed towards him.

Pain flared on his broken foot, and he turned his head into Lilith's hand, half-muffling a cry of pain.

"I'm sorry, Marius, Avery was setting the foot."

_Avery? Professor Avery's here?_

There was another whirling sound as his chest was suddenly freed, Marius gasping in a lungful of air before coughing as Lilith quieted him, his wrists and ankles freed just as suddenly while someone wrapped a cool cloth around them. He looked over past Lilith but his vision dimmed past that, only partly making out the people there. Something warm and large was wrapped around him and he blinked briefly as he felt himself pushed into sitting position. The close position made him now notice the other person there.

"Jack."

"Hey there. Nice to finally meet you, though different circumstances would've been appreciated." Jack smiled as Marius felt himself moved like a rag doll, unable to fully give assistance. A brief thought crossed his mind as he realized that he had been naked and Lilith must have--

"You need all your blood," he heard Jack whisper, "so don't blush too much."

Marius couldn't think of an answer, but shuddered as Lilith moved one of his sore arms and removed one of the bands, glaring at the other as she studied it. A man with messy brown hair and a dark suit, as well as a strange item in his hand, came and pointed the item at it. The tip glowed blue and whirled, like the sound from before, but the band remained in place.

"What's wrong with this stupid thing?" Lilith muttered.

"Malfunctioned," Marius stuttered out, "it...it made Ulamo mortal...it..it doesn't work until...I don't know."

Jack moved Marius to a more comfortable position against his shoulder, a familiar-but-not feeling. "You need to rest."

Marius nodded. "But I can't. It...it won't let..."

A man with an angelic face walked up and looked it over. "It's fading. He'll be able to sleep soon, but in the meantime we need to get him out of here. He's lost too much blood, and I don't want to think of what else there is that we'll find wrong with him."

"What about a pain killer?" the messy-haired man asked.

"I feel as comfortable giving him one as I do giving you aspirin, and yes, I've read what that does to you, so don't think about it. He's in shock and he was given LSD. No drugs until his system's clear."

"Then we should leave," Lilith muttered, "before Ulamo gives us another surprise."

"I don't think he's done with us yet," the angelic man muttered, "Jack, I'll carry him. I need to make sure he's fine, anyway. Oh, that reminds me." A pause and then a familiar weapon appeared, causing Lilith to grin widely. "Finally."

Marius tried to speak, noticing Lilith look at him after his attempt, then he finally got it out, "Still...illegal...but..." he gave a faint smile, "it suits you. I'm glad your alive."

Lilith smiled back at him, patting him lightly on the cheek. "The same goes for you, now you can't die on me either. We need you to live through this, okay?"

Marius gave a soft nod and found himself leaning against the angelic man. "Come on, Lilith. Let's get him out of here."

Lilith nodded, her eyes cold and...different...as she turned. Marius shivered against the man as he tried to make sense of the world but it remained dark and unfocused, the only voice he heard the ones near him and they were too garbled. He couldn't help...and Ulamo would try to hurt Lilith...he couldn't help her...what if...

"Calm down, Marius," the angelic man whispered, "we'll protect you. You'll be safe."

"Lilith..."

"She's a tough cookie, my niece. She'll take care of everything."

--

The group moved quickly, Jack and Lilith leading the way with the Doctor and Gwen making sure nothing was behind them. The group paused as they saw the opening and Gwen shook her head. "No way it's this easy. No way."

"Of course not," the voice was mellow and cool as the man himself finally walked in, holding up a small device and pointing upwards. The group looked up briefly, Gwen cursing when she saw what was above them.

"That's a rather large and well-placed box, I would say. One would also think that, should you try to kill me, it might fall on all of you. The way it is, and where you all are, there isn't enough time for all of you to move without dying, or even losing a limb. Have you ever died by being flattened, Captain? I assume it's rather—agonizing. Not just the death, but being brought back while still underneath it, a cycle of dying and rebirth. That would hurt."

Jack glared at the man as Avery held Marius close, the younger Sidra shivering violently at the sound of Ulamo's voice.

"Now then," Ulamo spoke, "who should I play with first?"


	15. Lady So Divine

_Yeah, I should've made it clear that Toshiko, Ianto and Owen are in the Hub, not out in the car. I know it's an SUV, but with all the stuff they have, I think they had the maximum load with the five who went in...besides, getting a sick person near potentially-dangerous situation while still affected by LSD? Not happening, especially since it's Ianto we're talking about. Sorry.  
And the fight somewhat depicted here happens in _**So Much Dust**_, I just deal with the get-away._

**Fourteen: **Lady So Divine

Marius tried to gain the strength to speak, but the man (_Avery?_) holding him stopped his voice. "Shh. You've done enough. Saying anything won't save us, Marius."

Lilith glared at the angelic-looking man with the demonic grin as he looked all of them over. "Three lower-beings...two Humans and a Time Lord, and one who can survive anything." His grin seemed to split his face in two. "I'll have so much fun with you."

"You're not going to get a chance," Lilith muttered, her voice angry and the tone causing Ulamo to look over at her.

"Ah, the abomination speaks. I was wondering when my fellow convict would get around to threats." Ulamo moved forward a step, looking over Lilith as if examining a toy or item on sale, his grin never wavering. "And what will you threaten me with? I have an upper hand."

Lilith tilted her head. "You'd kill us all off so quickly? I didn't think you would be so hasty, Ulamo. From what I've read and seen, you're not."

Ulamo laughed. "Ah, only read? Of course, you're too young to have known what I did without having to read it, aren't you? So what did Avery tell you about me?"

"Everything he could, of course," Lilith answered, her tone changing and Marius shuddering. The erratic drumming was starting again... "You're sick, you know that? It's something, to have an...abomination like me, tell you that, isn't it?"

"Not really," Ulamo answered coolly, his smile never wavering, "I don't consider it that odd, that a thing like you would have ended up a guest of Enforcement. I'm more surprised they," he nodded towards the messy-haired man and Jack, "would tolerate your presence."

Lilith looked over at the man, their eyes meeting, then back to Ulamo. "They only tolerate me when I'm good. You haven't seen me when I'm not...but as Avery told them, I might as well apply for sainthood when I'm being evil, compared to what you've done."

"Lilith," the messy-haired man said in a warning tone.

"You'd better not interfere with this, dear," she muttered, her tone acidic and cold, "the psychotic ones are having a chat."

Ulamo laughed. "How sweet. Not only are you an abomination, you married the one responsible for your condition! Did he know how much he has to thank you for? I can't begin, can I?"

"Oh, I'll start for you. The most recent is the lovely problems with my other Client...infidelity and basically being a psychotic bitch. I believe I even called him a 'house-elf' when I saw him after what the Master did to him. I walked off with a ring belonging to the Master after finding myself with a piece of him in my head too, if you really have to know. Psychic fly-paper, that's me. I can go backwards or forwards, but we do have one thing in common, if you'd like to call it that."

Ulamo's grin grew even more, if that was possible. "The Cybermen. I liked mine. Less waste...and the pain they caused was beautiful. No need for chips, only the instinct to adapt or go insane. Perfect, and yet you changed that, and not on this world but another! I'm rather annoyed at you for that."

"A test is a test. Being told it would be 'safe' by various authorities is different from just going off to try it out. They assured me that the threat would not only be neutralized in a timely manner after the Doctor left, but also that the world was equipped to deal with them. Imagine my surprise when not only do I get the boot, but it turns out the world _didn't _deal with them and blamed me for the Daleks as well. Had they given me more time, I would be occupying the Void as opposed to a petty blond working on the other side of it."

The Doctor and Jack sent glares to Lilith, but it was obvious that something in that stung the Doctor as well, causing a look of concern as well.

"Of course, you didn't bother, or wouldn't have, would you?"

"The Daleks and Cybermen...four Daleks, a thousand or more Cybermen, and Daleks that fought in the Time War as well?" Ulamo chuckled, "The world and universe would have cried out in pain and suffering. It would've been beautiful. No need for the Master, or his cowardly brilliance. No need for the Doctor and his flightly nature. No more Torchwood, no more anything. Even if they killed the Cybermen, I would have loved to see that."

"Well, you didn't." Lilith's glare became arctic, sub-zero and beyond as she walked two steps towards Ulamo, "You instead were trapped on this backwards planet that spends half of it's time thinking up ways of destroying itself or being manipulated into something suicidal or even just being stupid. I'm amazed Humans have lived this long or are so damned interesting to _anyone_, my dear Doctor included." Lilith tilted her head to look at Ulamo as she said this, "I hope you have no ideas...you're not leaving here alive."

Ulamo chuckled. "Oh?"

"I might not be good with the Doctor, or anyone else here, and I know for certain that our Captain hates my guts despite everything. The Doctor doesn't want me to touch him anyway. In fact the only person who was able to get past a defense I put up when I was going to keep myself away from anyone was him," her finger moved to point to Marius. "And he didn't deserve to have half the stuff that's gone on happen to him. I hate to say this, but the minute you laid a _finger _on him, you got on my bad side." She smiled at him, her own smile sadistic, "and as anyone here will tell you, my bad side has a mind of her own."

--

Avery cringed at the idea. Any fight between two beings of Sidra nature was dangerous, but these two? Neither were fully Sidra, and both retained enough power to be potentially damaging to the area, at least. She looked over at Gwen, noting that even if Lilith made a a move, he could get to a position where he could move the group.

Only...the problem was the band on Marius' arm. It prevented most of his Sidra abilities and was erratic. If that was true, then the chance he could even move the group a few feet without leaving Marius behind was slim at best.

_The damned thing had to be erratic and also lose or gain signs accordingly. I have to hope for the best, though, and get the rest of these guys to safety, even if it's behind. I'd rather have a wall between us and those two then front-row seats._

Avery looked over at the Doctor, who was watching Lilith intently, then at Jack, who seemed to be waiting for her move. Could he read Avery so well?

"Marius," Avery whispered, watching Ulamo's smile actually waver for a second at Lilith's pronouncement, "I need you to tell Jack and Gwen to get close to me."

"But--."  
"It's okay. I have a plan."

Marius nodded weakly, blinking once as she noticed Gwen stiffen but not look around, and Jack shift a little more towards Avery as he felt Marius' life go down a little more.

_By all that is Holy and Unholy, you'd better not die on us._ Avery made eye contact with the Doctor and motioned, happy that he wasn't level with Lilith as she moved forward again, allowing the Doctor to move back as if from fear of her, the group gathering around Marius as if to protect him.

"Your companions don't seem to trust you," Ulamo noted, "And you are getting too close."

Lilith looked up. A few more steps and she'd be out of range of the place, while the others...weren't so lucky.

_Please Elders, let this work._

"You're right. They shouldn't, and truthfully, as long as Marius is able to live, and Avery too, I really don't care."

Avery felt three hands grab hold of him as he disappeared in a rush of gold, feeling slightly dragged down as something pushed with him before the group fell down, the box falling between them and the two other Sidra.

"Lilith!" the Doctor stood quickly while Avery looked at the now-unconscious Marius. The boy had to be as much of a martyr as Lilith...his pulse was still erratic and Avery knew that he need to be brought to the Hub and stabilized quickly before anything else happened.

"She's fine," Avery said, "She was in the right position to get out of the way and deal with Ulamo. I was in the right position to get you out of there. Besides, have you _seen_ two Sidra go at it? We have special rooms for that, and neither are in it. Granted, neither are actually full Sidra anymore..."

"Mind explaining it?" Gwen asked, "for us 'lesser-beings'."

Avery looked at her and said, "Sidra are bio-energy beings. When we decide to self-destruct, the amount of energy that is put out could destroy a solar system."

"WHAT?"

"But Lilith is only part Sidra, thanks to saving the Doctor," Avery went on, "and Ulamo is stuck in one form despite having a few Sidra abilities. So it will be destructive, but not that bad."

"We forgot she has that gun, right?" Jack asked.

The Doctor and Gwen frowned. "What did he mean, it was 'illegal'?" the Doctor asked.

Jack looked at him, as if surprised. "It's a _sonic rifle_ that was changed to feed off the energy of the user to create bullets."

"WHAT? That's illegal in—in..."

"Yeah."

"And she _has one?_"

"I know." Jack smiled. "I wish there were more...I'd kill someone for a gun like that."

The Doctor shook his head. "I thought you learned your lesson. Right, so, now what?"

Avery looked over at the unconscious Marius, trying to think of how bad he was and how quickly they would need to leave the building. "We need another way out. Any suggestions?"

--

"_Tosh, are you there?_" Jack's voice caused Ianto to look up as Toshiko answered the phone.

"We're all here. What's wrong?"

"_We need a way out. Marius isn't doing to so good and--_" the sound of an explosion caused the group to surround the phone.

"What was that?" Owen asked.

"_Lilith is a little angry at Ulamo...and she has a sonic shotgun...can we get back to getting the rest of us out of here?_"

Toshiko nodded, pulling up the plans for the building. "Right, sorry!" she typed quickly as Ianto said simply, "Can I do anything to help?"

"_If you do I have to beat you and Marius,_" Avery's voice came over the phone, "_I don't care how hot you are or how nice you and Jack look together while kissing._"

The group paused.

"_And the CCTV footage is never fully deleted._"

Ianto felt himself turn red as Jack coughed. "_Escape route?_"

"_PLEASE_," the Doctor and Gwen said together, obviously not in the mood for anything besides leaving. The mild sounds of explosions and yells were enough to get Toshiko typing quickly, pulling up the specks and looking through them. "I got where you all are and...oh my God..."

"_Sidra fight. Let's concentrate on an escape route._"

"You should see this, though," Owen muttered, "The energy scales are--."

"_GET US OUT OF HERE!_" Gwen yelled into the phone.

"Go to the left, and try to find the maze. From there I'll get you out."

Jack told them they were going there as the group moved, the sounds dimming as they headed out of the area, it appeared.

"_Okay, we're at the maze again. Now what?_"

Toshiko typed quickly as Owen put a hand on Ianto's shoulder, whispering, "Don't you dare think about going to see how Marius' doing. Neither of you are fit for it, okay mate?"

He nodded, wanting to ensure Jack was okay but unsure what to do while in the Hub. He needed to find out if he was okay...

"Go to the right at the first junction, it's only a little ways away."

There was the sound of running, then a sudden stop as an explosion sounded nearby.

"What's wrong?" Ianto asked, worried by the sounds.

"_THAT is a large hole..._" The Doctor's voice came over the coms.

"_...We need another way out._"

--

"I'm getting a little worried about Lilith," the Doctor commented as they turned down the new route.

"Try not to be too worried," Avery told him as they hurried down the other way, Gwen and Jack with their guns drawn just in case.

"Probably hard not to be worried," Gwen muttered as they headed between the boxes, "I mean...she's probably in danger or...or something."

"She'll be fine," Avery said.

Gwen nodded. "Yeah. Right, sorry, it's just...I mean, I don't know a lot about her, but she seems okay. Off, but alright. I dunno what she did, and it must've been bad, but it can't be much worse then some of the others that we've seen, right?"

"Depends," Jack told her as he looked around the corner, "but I only met her twice. She didn't seem to like me much either time. Of course, the first time she looked a little different too."

The Doctor looked off to where the sounds of the fight could be heard, then said, "And if she's right? If this does release her bad side?"

"Then you'll have to remind her that she's got a good side," Avery said, "and try to not blunder it either."

"OY!"

Jack shrugged, "You can do that."

"Oh, not you too."

Gwen giggled a little before asking Avery, "How's Marius?"

Avery looked down at the still form, his breathing shallow and erratic. "Not good. We need to get him out of here and stabilized, then we have to make sure Lilith doesn't go and get herself killed. I think she's all that's holding him here."

"So no pressure then," Jack muttered, "that's nice."

"Why do you think I needed your help too? I doubt we could've gotten this far with the Doctor alone, and after that Nightmare Room of his, I'd put good money on us not having escaped if it had been only me and Lilith."

Gwen looked up and down the way. "I see the exit again. Should we try for it?"

The group gathered together and all nodded before racing for the SUV that was parked outside, reaching it as the area they had just left exploded suddenly, causing the roof to collapse.

The group blinked as the Doctor yelled, "Lilith!" and headed back, Avery getting help from Gwen to put Marius in the back seat before grabbing another bag and heading the same direction as the Doctor.

--

Gwen sat next to the younger man called Marius, stroking his short hair, a wet towel taking away most of the blood that coated his hair, turning it dark. It seemed the real color was actually a dark blond color, one that seemed nice on the youngish face. His breathing was shallow and nearly non-existent as she checked on his vitals, frowning at the faint heartbeat that met her fingers. Whatever the boy had done, he had taxed himself to do it, and even more so to keep quiet about whatever Ulamo wanted to know.

"You're very brave," Gwen muttered to him as she got another cloth, cleaning off some of his face as well. She remembered the look in his eyes when Lilith had woken him up, and despite seeing Ianto wake up only a few times in Jack's arms, and his recent look when seeing Jack spoke depths to how he felt about him. Gwen did like Jack as well, and knew Jack felt something like the same, he never said anything, possibly because he was immortal and more then likely because of Ianto.

After seeing how Ianto looked, Gwen knew it was more for Ianto's sake then her own. Seeing how Marius had looked up at Lilith, as if seeing a ghost then realizing she was alive, hearing the relief in his shaky and uncertain voice, and--

Oh God...he loved her, didn't he?

"Jack," she whispered, gaining her leader's attention, "did you...see how this was?"

Jack looked at her, then down to Marius before nodding. "Kinda sad, isn't it?"

Gwen nodded, sighing. "And...she likes the Doctor?"

"I'd have to guess."

"Oh bloody hell."

Jack nodded, looking back at Marius' still form. "We'd better make sure he lives, then, shouldn't we?"

Gwen nodded, shifting to ensure Marius was still in a comfortable position, but still worried about his lack of response and his low vitals.

"Hurry," she whispered to the two that had gone in after Lilith, "hurry."

--

"Hurry!" Jack yelled when he saw the trio heading back, "He's getting worse."

"You could have taken him to the Hub and come back for us!" Lilith yelled as she stumbled towards the SUV, Gwen moving to allow the other woman to take her place.

"We weren't sure if he would survive," Gwen pointed out, "He's fading, though."

The Doctor and Avery moved in as well, Gwen moving to the front besides Jack as the doors closed and the group sped back to the Hub.

"Come on, Marius, stay with us," Lilith whispered as Avery pulled out his medical instruments and checked him over, a look of worry crossing his face briefly before he said, "He's fading too fast, Lilith. We might lose him."

"We're not going to lose him," Lilith growled, her actions soft despite the harshness of her voice as she looked down at the younger Sidra.

Gwen looked back, then over to Jack as the SUV accelerated towards the Torchwood Hub.

--

Owen was ready with the main medical room as Lilith and Avery carried Marius over there, the Doctor following behind while Jack quickly checked on Ianto before following, Gwen stopping to speak to Toshiko about the area before doing the same.

"Oh bloody hell," Owen muttered when he looked at the damage, setting up the monitors to check on his vitals, "I hope that bastard got what was coming to him."

"He did," Lilith said darkly, looking at Marius' unmoving form as Avery moved her up the stairs to stand next to the Doctor.

"Anything I can help with?" Owen asked at the same time the Doctor did, causing the two to look at each other.

"You, yes," Avery pointed to Owen as he produced a few more medical items, most of which were familiar to Owen, or he hoped so. "You, just comfort Lilith. I'm not going to have her go berserker again in here should worse come to worse, which it shouldn't," he added quickly then turned back to Owen. "Now then…"

--

Darkness...nothing but darkness all around him, and he couldn't find anything or go anyway.

He didn't care. It was safe here...wasn't it?

A voice called to him, causing him to turn and look around, trying to figure out where the sound came from.

The voice came in again, causing him to blink. That light was appearing, a small sliver but beautiful and familiar. Who was that?

Another sound, the same voice, saying something, and he slowly walked towards the light. The darkness seemed to force him to push harder, like walking through tar. Still, he pushed towards the light, trying hard to reach the area with the light.

The voice now became more prominent, changing to that of a female voice as he paused to blink at the sound then looked back over at the darkness. He didn't have to go did he?

The voice sounded, more persistent, almost annoyed at him, called at him in the darkness and he turned back, looking over at the light before pushing forward, not wanting to be late and wanting to see the owner of the voice.

The voice called again, joined in by a few others that sounded persistent, urgent, like they needed him to come back.

Come back to where? Where was he going? After all, the place he had come from to be here wasn't good, was it?

He stopped in the darkness, the light warm against his face, and looked down at his feet before shaking his head.

No. He had to risk it. He had to risk the chance that he would be fine. He had to risk it all for those voices that now came up. Urgent, important voices, ones that meant a lot to him, but he couldn't put a name to at this point.

Ignoring all reservations, all calls to stay in the dark or head deeper into it, he pushed forward until the light engulfed his entire being.

--

"Marius!" Lilith hugged him, causing Marius to blink and moan.

"Ow..."

"Damn it, don't scare me like that again!"

"Lilith...that hurts..."

"I don't care! You nearly died!"

Jack gave a small laugh nearby as Lilith continued to hug Marius, Avery and Owen looking relieved, though Avery looked a little annoyed as well, the Doctor smiling at the scene along with Gwen, Toshiko and Ianto.

"Lilith..."

"Damn it, don't you do that to me again!"

"I...okay."

Avery shook his head. "That's enough, Lilith. He's still hurt, you know."

"He scared me!"

"Just let him go. We need to check on him and Ianto, plus I have to talk to the two."

Lilith reluctantly let to look over at Avery. "Only them?"

"Yes, only them, and that means you make sure everyone stays out, Jack included."

Jack paused, looking over at Ianto. "Now I'm worried."

"Lilith, please get them out of here," Avery said, motioning for Owen to leave as well, a glare getting Ianto to stay where he was, "I really have to talk to those two."

Marius watched as Lilith helped to push the rest of the group out, looking for doors and, unable to find any, shrugged towards Avery before turning back and standing watch at the doorway.

"Get down here, Ianto Jones. I don't want to yell too much."

Ianto slowly moved down, taking a seat next to Marius as he did and casting a worried glance at Marius, looking both worried and relieved he was there now.

"I have a few things for you two," Avery said in a stern voice, "First off, I gave Owen some stuff, painkillers and the like, for you. It's only good for a few months, until your ankle heals. Everything else you'll have to take care of when you get a new body and out of that one." He paused, holding up a small glass of water. "In the meantime, I'm going to go back for a few minutes to send in my report on this and request for you to be on medical leave because of this, as well as file all your Caretaker paperwork from here. Realize, though, that because of how this is going, they might use it as an excuse to replace you as Caseworker."

Marius nodded, looking off to the side. If he was replaced as the Caretaker, that would mean he would either have to go elsewhere or get another job, and he knew he couldn't be happy with that.

"I know it'll only be a few minutes, but that doesn't mean that you get to take any of his injuries, Ianto. You have enough problems as it is, a broken foot isn't going to be added to them. Jack's worried enough as it is, right Marius?"

Marius gave a weak nod before Avery continued, "Also, neither of you are going to use that mental connection you have as much as I know you want to. Phones and every other technology for this time is fine, but not that. It's a unique link, and until I can get more information on it, or find an expert on the subject to check on it, it's also a problem. If you use it too much you could very easily become permanently joined in personalty, and again, not something anyone would want. It's bad enough one of you being weird over Lilith, but adding Jack to the mix will only stress everyone out. Understood?"

Ianto nodded silently.

"So until I get back, you two will behave, yes?"

"Yes," the two muttered.

"And you won't tax yourself?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Good," Avery smiled at them. "Then if anything DOES happen, I'm going to beat you both silly. Now then..." she disappeared in a sudden glow of gold while Lilith looked back over.

"Well, now that you two know, I'd suggest not doing anything. Auntie Avery is violent when she...he...needs to be."

"I'm still confused on that," the Doctor muttered as Owen walked past to check on Marius.

"I told you, she's normally a she! She decided to become a guy for whatever reason, so that's that. Now will you please get off of that?"

Jack walked up, looking over at Ianto and obviously confused by the conversation. "So if Avery's normally a she, and changed to a he—could you or Marius change?"

"_I _can't, and neither can Marius at the moment," Lilith pointed out, "What is it with you guys and asking about that?"

Marius gave her a weak smile. "They're just curious, that's all."

Lilith looked over at him and sighed. "Well, either way, you'd better not strain yourself when I leave here, Marius. I don't need you to be hurt again."

"Neither do I."


	16. Getting Back on Track

_And this is the end of the joint-writing between this fic and _So Much Dust, _unless Saline Dreamer decides to write more. For me it's the end...because I need to get back to torturing the Torchwood group and Marius seperately, as opposed to helping Saline torture her characters with mine ;-)_

**Fifteen: **Getting Back on Track

Marius had fallen asleep sometime after the group had left for drinks, apparently just as much in need of it as Lilith had been, especially after the news she had received in a second-hand manner. The others had gone home, except Ianto, who had crashed on the couch in Jack's office. Both Avery and Jack had given the two looks of concern, though Avery's instruments said that nothing remotely mental or otherwise was going between the two for the time being.

He looked over at where the trio were now heading back to the familiar blue box he had once longed for, and he headed down, intent on saying his goodbyes.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked casually, watching as the Doctor fished out his key for the TARDIS.

"Our work's done, and as much as I'd like to look after and baby Marius, that's now your job," Avery told Jack, handing him a small set of cards, "If you need me, call that number, I'll be here in a flash."

"Literally, I take it," Jack noted as he put the cards in his pocket.

"Of course," Avery told him with a grin as Lilith rolled her eyes.

Jack nodded to her. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."  
Lilith looked over at him and caused Jack to raise his right hand. "As well as I can."

A raised eyebrow said wonders, strangely enough, and Jack finally lowered the hand. "Seriously, I can take care of him, don't worry so much!"

"I do, though," Lilith muttered, glancing at where Marius now occupied an unused couch, "and with good reason."

Avery looked over at her then said, "Come on, we need to get going and send the newly-freed Doctor on his merry way. I'm sure he won't mind too much."

The answer died as the doors to the TARDIS closed and the box disappeared with the familiar sound, causing Jack to sigh. As much as he had missed that sound, as much as he wanted to join the Doctor again at times, he always felt a connection to Torchwood now. It hadn't just been over a century of service...it was this group, _his _group.

_Damn it, Alex...I didn't need it, but you were right. Torchwood did. The others wouldn't have been able to handle Abbadon, or Saxon, or...anything._

He looked over at Marius, walking up to smile down at the young Sidra they had rescued. He was wrapped up in bandages, bruises becoming visible in places, and had the same look on his face that Ianto had at times when he might almost have a nightmare but was keeping it at bay with other thoughts, or at least trying. Jack moved some of his hair, gaining a brief turn of the head before the young man went back to sleep, not as worried.

A thought made Jack go to check on Ianto, who seemed sound asleep as well, nearly curled up and smiling when Jack brushed some of his hair back.

"Jack," he muttered, almost happily, causing Jack to smile before going to watch over for anything else that might come up.

--

Toshiko wondered if trouble always came after Torchwood like this...adding up to the mental anguish and emotional stress of most of the group. A few days after recovering Marius, they had woken up Tommy only to learn that he would have to leave. Then that he would—he would...

"You okay?"

The voice caused Tosh to start suddenly and look over to the couch, where Marius was still resting. He had been in and out of sleep, mainly for medication and check ups, though half the time earlier on he had to be woken up by one of the group. Owen had commented before they had gotten ready to wake Tommy up that maybe Sidra healed better when they slept, which Marius had never been awake long enough to confirm or deny.

"Oh, you're awake," Toshiko said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Sorry if I woke you."

"It's okay," he muttered, sitting up slowly, "I've felt worst from you all...I know you've probably got something about it from Owen and loving a time-traveler, but he was a lovely load of angst when Diana left."

Toshiko smiled a little. "I remember that."

Marius returned the smile, his first since Lilith left, and said, "Trust me, it was a headache, not that yours is. It's...different."

Toshiko looked off to the side, then back at Marius. "Is that a good thing?"

Marius gave her a smile, then patted the other side of the sofa. "Come on. Talk about it."

"I...are you sure?"

"Well, I could be invasive and just get the information out of your head...but I'd rather talk. I've been out for a while, I need to get back in touch with people."

Toshiko sighed as she moved to sit next to him. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

Marius leaned back, wincing a little at something that probably wasn't healed yet. "When did you first meet Tommy?"

Toshiko paused, sighing as she remembered. "Two weeks after I started. The 20th, we always woke him up on that day, and Jack needed help with it. By then he considered looking for a Doctor, and helped me through waking him up then...everything else. I took him out for the day, we talked, then he went back to sleep. The next year, Owen was there, and I felt...jealous. Like I should be the one to wake him, every time. So I started to be there instead, started to take him with me every time he woke up. He trusted me...and he died. I didn't want...I wanted..."

Marius nodded, giving her a smile. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Do they do that, with you? Do they make you decide on things, or--."

Marius reached over, touching her hand. "I could show you, or tell you. What do you want?"

Toshiko sucked in a breath, wondering if she could. Getting mentally pushed through time to tell Tommy what he had to do had been tough, but—that was a machine. This was a person that knew what he was doing, that was connected to all of them, so maybe--

"It's a...painful memory," Marius said, "but you would understand a little more."

Toshiko finally nodded, and closed her eyes as she felt herself dip into her mind, much like with Mary and her necklace.

_A little different, I could think. No background noises,_ Marius voice joked lightly.

_**Where is this? **_The area around them looked a little like her apartment, but with a few things from the Hub that was part of her work and life at times.

_This is where we're connected. Ianto's looks like the Hub because...well...Jack's look a lot like it too. Everyone else had their own unique rooms, though._

_**Ah...and the memory?**_

_Be patient. I have to pull it out. It's not long, but it's also somewhere that I have to...well...censor some of. It's just the way it is._

Toshiko nodded, understanding what he meant until the scenery changed.

--

The two mist-forms watched as someone walked out, and their words surprised her.

"_You know that better then anyone..._" the voice of Lilith was mournful as the woman disappeared through the ruptured glass and into—wherever.

_My first assignment without anyone to help me, besides Lilith...and all I wanted was to save her. _

_**And you couldn't...but what about us?**_

_I'm here, and I have no other choice now, do I? I can because I am connected to you all, because I'm given the same...well, because I have no one to speak to me about getting too close to my clients, and you all need it anyway._

Toshiko found them back in the Torchwood Hub, Marius looking a little drained as Owen walked up. "Oy! You're not exhausting yourself, are you?"

"Just showing Toshiko something interesting," Marius muttered, taking the pills and cup of water. "Thank you."

"No problem. Well, we're going to have to do something with you. Jack suggested taking you home with a few of us, but with that ankle...I dunno just yet. Few more days here, I think. You okay with that?"

Marius nodded, draining the cup. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"By the way, do you heal while you're sleeping?"

"A little...why?"

"You've been out of it for a while. Sleep deprivation aside, I had to guess it's just because that's your race. Avery also advised against drinks."

"Alcohol and drugs affect us more then any of our client races are affected, so it wouldn't be good if I had any."

"So I noticed," Owen muttered, taking the empty cup, "You going back to sleep? If not, I have to dig out the crutches for you."

Marius gave him a smile. "I'll stay on the couch, thanks. I'm fine, thank you Owen."

There was a nod before the group's medic headed off, Toshiko standing and giving Marius a mild kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

He nodded to that, with a soft, "It's my job," before slowly sinking back to sleep.

--

"So, is there a world where Earth is destroyed?" Owen asked as Marius, who had recovered a little more and was staying awake more often, speaking to most of the Torchwood personnel casually about random things.

"What?"

"I saw something, on the tele, about the ways the Earth could be destroyed. Had like the seven most possible or somethin' like that."

Marius looked over at him then said, "What were they?"

Owen stopped at that, then said, "Gamma radiation..."

Marius nodded, "I know of two that destroyed that way. They got their ozone layer burned out."

Owen paused at that before saying, "Black hole."

"Not fun."

"Really?"

Marius looked over at Owen before saying, "My mother's uncle went through a black hole once, when he was a Field Agent. He retired after that, and didn't like to talk about it either. He almost didn't get out."

Owen was silent for a second before saying, "Super-computer...like 'Terminator'."

"There's actually a few of those."

"Super-volcanoes?"

"Those are nasty...one of the first training places I went to had one explode...it was in California."

"And?" Toshiko asked, getting into the conversation.

"Well...there _was _a California before it...I'll leave it at that. Afterwards there was just a major ash cloud that took out a lot of people."

"Asteroid," Owen added in.

"Hollywood isn't right, and there are a number of those that got hit and new 'great' species appeared. When I looked in, they had just found the remains of human civilization."

"What about nuclear war?"

"...do you have to ask?"

Owen shrugged, "Yes?"

Marius gave a small smile, "You know what would happen, and it has a few times. Well...more then a few times. It's not good."

Owen leaned in his chair, thinking on it before he said, "Pandemic."

Marius and Ianto both froze for a second before Marius nodded, not going further into it. Owen had to guess the two had a shared memory from Ulamo dealing with pandemics, and made a mental note to not bring it up again.

"The last one was...um..." Owen paused before clicking his fingers, "Oh yeah, climate change! Global warming and stuff."

Marius looked over at him and raised his eyebrows before saying, "More then you'd like to think about. Was that all?"

Owen nodded, leaning back in his chair. "So, is there a place where those Aliens and Predators really do come down to fight?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And their Caretakers are creepy. Not a lot of people talk to them. Are you done?"

"Well..."

Jack walked up, his jacket billowing as he told Owen, "You are. There's been a crash, and the meat in the back is...he said 'odd'. Come on."

Marius nodded, grabbing his crutches and moving over to a vacated computer. "I need to file a report. Hopefully nothing too bad will happen, right?"

--

"That's just disgusting," Marius muttered as he looked over at the slab of...meat...the group had brought in from the wreak.

"You don't know the half of it," Owen muttered as he went about to check out a piece of the slab and the others went to check on what appeared to be Rhys' firm.

Marius frowned as he moved from the seat to stand near Ianto, accepting a cup of tea as he did so.

"There's nothing you can get on him, is there?" Jack asked as Owen ran the samples, Gwen looking worried.

"Mentally, no," Marius said.

"But what about--."

"He's not a Client and thus far isn't a threat, and on top of that, I've been ordered to 'take it easy' with my abilities," Marius reminded him, "Physically I'm better, but mentally...still a problem. I'd rather wait until we were sure he had something to hide."

The relief from Gwen was almost enough to hit Jack, he knew, though she continued to worry about it. The fact that one of Rhys' lorries appeared at a crime scene and with what appeared to be meat not native to Earth was going to task Gwen on how well she could continue to hide Torchwood and her job from him.

But Gwen's faith that it was just the driver and supplier, not Rhys, in on it filtered through anyway, making him give her a smile as Owen reported that the meat had evidence of a vertebrae, but didn't match any known animal. Also the vet stamp was 'dodgy', a good counterfeit but it would take a scan for Owen to be able to see what it was as Toshiko looked over the website for "Harwood Haulage," pausing at the song that was being played.

"Catchy," Ianto muttered while Marius hid his grin in the cup while accusation flew. Did Rhys know about the contents? Could he have?

"Marius, do you want to try and call him?"

The sudden addition of him caused Marius to look up, blinking before finally nodding, taking a seat at Toshiko's desk and, as he waited for the phone to be answered, picking up a few questions and the right wording to use.

_Easy._

"_Harwood Haulage, how may I help you?_" a female voice came over the phone.

"Yes, I'm Marcus Berringer, with the police, calling for one," he paused, ruffling some papers nearby, "Rhys Williams, is he in?"

He saw Jack mouth 'show off' from his position, leaning against the rails while Gwen paced briefly and Toshiko stayed nearby, waiting and offering some papers with the reports on it.

There was a small pause before Rhys' voice came over the speaker. "_Hello?_"

"Is this Mr. Williams?"

"_Yeah, speaking._"

"I'm calling in regards to an accident this morning involving one of your lollies...were you aware of the accident?"

There was a brief mental flash that Marius quickly dispelled as Rhys answered he was aware of the accident before saying, "_They're a group called Harris and Harris, they came to us about two months back...it's a weekly account._"

"Are they licensed?"

"_Yeah, of course they're licensed!_"

Marius flinched at the obvious annoyance. "Could you give me their address?"

There was a muffled conversation from the other side as Marius picked up on the emotions and annoyance. Before Rhys got back on he wrote down a few quick notes before Rhys came back on, saying there wasn't an address but there was a pick-up point and rattled off the address.

"Do you have their contact number?"

Another check and more annoyance, this time covering more of it and not one that was guilty, but angry because something would possibly damage his company before it had gotten off the ground.

"Can you tell me where your driver took the meat?"

Rhys answered quickly, rattling off another supplier before Marius asked for the time.

"_Can I ask what this is all about?_"

"I'm sorry, sir, I can't release that information." Marius hit the 'end' button just as Rhys started to protest.

The group looked over when Ianto found him on screen, able to identify the truck and that it would be within a ten-mile radius of that part. Owen, in the meantime, called in the group to show that it was alien, and while it did have animal sedatives within, it was good to eat anyway.

"Would you eat it?" Gwen questioned as Ianto announced the arrival of pizza.

"What'd you get me?" Owen asked.

"The usual...Meat Feast."

"Lovely..." Owen muttered, looking over at the slab before heading over with the rest of the group.

Of course, at the brainstorming and research part while eating, Owen was the only one to ensure his own pizza was devoid of the meat, the others only picking off what they decided might be 'not good' or what they normally took off. After another moment, Gwen got a call and walked off, going home to check on Rhys.

Marius looked over at Jack as Gwen left before he asked, "So?"

Marius sighed, finishing off his own slice before saying, "He's not in on it. He's angry that something like that got through and how it might affect his business, but not about getting caught. He might come across as an idiot sometimes but he also doesn't like doing things illegal or harmful to anything. I'm a little worried...if his company is involved, and if he saw Gwen there, he might get suspicious. It could turn out bad."

"A lot of things could," Jack muttered.

"Last time I said 'bad things' on anything, it turned out bad, and I'm not a descendant of Vensha."

"Who?" Owen asked.

"An Elder who was renowned for his foresight. Lilith and Avery are related to him. I'm not, so predictions that come true like that for me sometimes mean there will be _bad things._"

Jack gave him a smile as he grabbed another piece of pizza. "Well, then let's hope this time you're wrong."

--

Marius typed up the ending report to the earlier incident with Tommy and the 1918 incident, waiting as the group went to investigate the warehouse before he felt it.

Suspicion...but it couldn't be Rhys.

Anger at Rhys for messing it up and making Gwen nearly show where they were.

Neutral, just waiting on orders from Jack and Gwen.

"I hate it when I'm right," he mentioned as Toshiko looked over at him.

"What?"

"You'll find out—" Jack called it in and Toshiko looked over at him. "Let me guess, bad things?"

Marius nodded as they waited to see what would happen.

--

"Oh, headache," Marius winced as Jack looked over at him.

"Gwen?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And this is going to be interesting when she brings Rhys in to see this all."

"WHAT?"

--

It was late night when Gwen brought Rhys in via the 'invisible lift', Gwen happy at the excitement Rhys showed at the whole thing, the group waiting a few feet away, possibly in case of explosive reactions. Marius smiled at him when introduced and watching as Rhys somewhat adjusted, getting off the lift and speaking about the alien he had seen, the others adding in what they knew as well.

The fact that it was alive didn't help, and then suddenly the explosive situation happened, Marius looking upward as Rhys defended what he had done while Jack attacked it, ignoring Gwen's attempt to stop it, and Jack apparently realizing that Rhys could hold his own despite it when he accused Jack of showing off then told him that he had a job for the group now and could help.

"This is quite homo-erotic..."

"Nonononono..." Gwen started, moving in to get between the two main men in her life, "Jack, he is _not _getting us in."

"Team meeting!" Jack said, pointing to Rhys, "you too."

Marius sighed, knowing a headache was about to come and staying silent at it all, not sure what to say and waiting as the group left until it was only he, Rhys and Gwen. Rhys looked over at him, Marius shrugging. "It's a good idea...and I somewhat understand, I guess."

"What?" Gwen asked.

Marius took a breath. "Everything. I'm not exactly the model person to ask, but I can try to help."

"What are you, a psychiatrist?"

"Alien, but I'm psychic, does that count?"

Rhys gave him an odd look while Gwen said, "It's fine. Marius is...well, Marius."

"Thanks."

Gwen sighed. "I need to check on something. You okay here?"

Rhys nodded, waiting until Gwen was gone before he looked over at Marius. "Alien?"

"Yes."

"But you--."

Marius gave him a small smile. "I know. I like it, I guess. For all the flaws, humans are very interesting and fun to be, at times."

"What do you look like, normally?"

"A ball of energy. Our race can take on the forms we want. I chose human."

"How well do you—I mean how long..."

Marius paused then said, "I only recently came in, but my race does...well...paperwork. Like when you rent out your trucks you have paperwork on the companies and stuff. I kept paperwork on Gwen and the others, and on what they've done."

"Could I--."

"You can't see them."

"What about a small version?"

"...she's right, it's dangerous. Anything you do has an amount of danger, but this is...it involves a lot of dangerous that most humans try to avoid. Those that don't normally are odd or insane or too used to it. None of them are 'used' to it, thankfully, and they will do what they can to protect each other." Marius paused, "They'll also do what they can to protect others as well. I...I wasn't supposed to be here, but something came up." Marius felt himself rub the band that still clung to his upper arm. "Of course, now I'm stuck here, and with a healing ankle. Still, I know they'll do what they can to make sure you're fine. Just don't give Gwen a reason to lecture you. She's good a that."

Rhys laughed. "Yeah, I know." He looked at Marius, then asked, "Do you stay here, or have a flat?"

"Here. Why?"

"Oh, just...well...I was going to have some time off, going to take Gwen on a vacation. Needed someone to watch over the flat, and you seemed, well...nice."

Marius smiled. "Well, I am chair-bound for a few more weeks...I heal faster then humans, so sure, I'd love to."

Rhys nodded. "Okay then. I just...dunno why, you seem easy to talk to."

Marius shrugged. "I'm not supposed to be here either, so that's probably why." Marius looked up then motioned. "Go talk to Gwen. Get ready. I'm stuck here, so good luck to you."

Rhys nodded, putting his cup down and heading out. Marius leaned back and let out a breath before closing his eyes, mentally preparing for the upcoming mission.

--

Marius played the role Toshiko or Ianto sometimes did, checking on things from the Hub as the rest went to their jobs, heading into the place to find what they could.

Marius typed what he could of the report, making notes on Rhys and what he knew from Gwen's mind to add in his biography for it, as well as after a second asking for the image from Jack, risking only a brief contact before jumping back, shivering from what he had seen.

Marius muttered curses, wanting the group to have more then stun-guns, to--

The humans who used this...they wanted to exploit it, no matter what, and would do that if they could. Not so much because they were who they were but because—because...

_**Calm down**_, he heard Ianto mutter, _**you're making me jumpy.**_

_Sorry. Just..._

_**I know.**_

_Thank you. I'm sorry. Get to work again, take them down, save it._

Marius started to type again when he felt the worry, then the change.

"Oh bloody hell..."

--

Ianto felt Marius' anger still, and sadly, after seeing the 'space whale', as Marius put it (_better then 'cash cow' like that man said, the ass-hole he is_) , he felt the same. What did this man think, saying this was only 'meat'. Did he not hear it, see it?

Ianto was grateful to go after them as the others dealt with the space whale, hopefully saving it, while he tracked down the others.

It wasn't just what had happened with Ulamo...it was more then that. It was the gaping wound in the poor thing's side and the creature's cry, then everything else.

So he did what he could to track the two brothers down, easily taking down one and his anger fueling him as he kicked away the gun, marching up and holding up his stun gun. "Pray that you live," he muttered, placing the stun gun against the man's temple as it went off.

Ianto stalked away, hearing a sudden dull thud that shook the building momentarily before he started to hurry back towards the bay where the whale was kept.

_It's dead._

_**...did you...**_

_No, but I know it. I wish it wasn't. _There was a pause, G_o make sure Rhys is okay._

_**He's rather nice...for being himself, I guess.**_

That earned what sounded like a laugh. _He is. Go help Jack too. He'll need it._

Ianto headed towards the bay, hoping nothing had gone wrong and grateful for the small presence in his mind. Despite all that they had been warned about, Marius and he still felt that connection that almost instinctively forced them to reach out and speak to the other, to help comfort the other. At times Ianto had been hard pressed to keep it closed (like a few nights ago when he had been with Jack and—well...) but it still helped at times.

Ianto headed into the room, sighing at what he found and doing what he could to help.

--

Marius waited with the rest as Rhys woke up, giving him the bad news of the poor creature and when Jack started to motion for Gwen to follow him, Marius said, "Jack, could I talk to you for a moment?"

Jack looked at him oddly before nodding, waiting as Marius went out, his crutches clinking on the metal before they reached Jack's office.

"He has to forget too, you know," Jack muttered, reaching for the box of Retcon.

"If you do that, she'll leave too, though." Jack looked over at Marius as he sat, letting out a breath. "Rhys should remember because it will help Gwen out."

"It won't," Jack muttered.

"Yes, it will," Marius countered, "Her main concern for last year was what to tell Rhys, was the lies she's had to tell him. After a while she couldn't talk to anyone here, you included, and not me. I might have that connection but that doesn't always work. If you make her Retcon Rhys she'll fight you, and if you do Retcon him you'll regret it." Marius shifted in his seat, "Rhys knowing will help to keep Gwen stable. If you do this, she'll walk the same path Suzie did, and I don't need Rhys to go insane on us." Marius looked over at Jack, then added in, "You can't lose both, and if you give Gwen this, she'll be good. If you let Rhys remember, he can be of help somehow. I don't know where, but I know that he'll help Gwen, and if you give him a chance he'll help you." Marius paused on that, then slowly stood. "You have to think about it, Jack. Let Gwen and Rhys go out, talk a little. Tell Gwen it's up in the air, ask for her opinion and maybe watch them. If Rhys seems like he can't keep the secret, if Gwen notices he's not taking it well, then give him Retcon. If he does, or if Gwen says he'll be helpful in any way, then let him remember. It won't hurt you, Jack, and it won't hurt him either."

Jack looked over at Marius then finally nodded. "Okay then. But, you get to tell her."

Marius gave a small smile. "Give me the tough job, why don't you? Alright."

--

Gwen had been grateful for Marius pulling her aside to speak, and for him speaking to Rhys, mentioning that they should go out and take a breather. Rhys had walked out with Gwen, Jack monitoring on the CCTV as they went to get a drink then an ice cream, Rhys showing his excitement for this new eye-opening experience, not speaking on the dangers so much as the fact that he had just seen a real alien, had helped, had seen that Gwen was in danger but knew what she doing and--

"Wipe that grin off your face," Jack muttered, hearing Marius walk up to the door and look in.

"Then stop giving me a headache," Marius muttered back, "she's not yours, as much as you'd like her to be and as much as she might want to give herself over to you, but both of you know that can't happen. I understand she reminds you of...someone...but you have Ianto. You have her as a second-in-command. Let Rhys have her as a wife. Don't be such a stick in the mud."

"What else was there, other then you telling me things I should already know?"

"Rhys offered to have me stay over at their flat for a few weeks, until my ankle and his shoulder healed. I guess he'd rather have two people with problems then just one."

Jack gave a small smile at that. "Fine then. Go on, I don't mind, as long as you stop complaining."

Marius shook his head, heading over to where Gwen was arriving again to collect him and a few things he would need before the duo left, leaving Jack to wonder about Marius and if what he said would come true or not.


	17. Adam

**Sixteen**: Adam

Marius was getting used to couches, strangely enough, and happily had gotten used to the idea of house-sitting as well, or flat-sitting, while Gwen and Rhys had been on vacation for a week. His ankle had healed and not much had happened to require Torchwood attention, meaning everyone had done their own projects, gone on with life, and not really done much.

And the morning after Gwen and Rhys had arrived home, Marius going to bed early after he started to get a headache, he had awoken to a pounding one when Gwen had faintly shook him.

"You okay?"

"No," Marius muttered from under the sheets. Why did _sunlight _have to hurt? "Go on with out me. You'll be late."

"Do you want me to make an excuse?"

"Unless something big comes through that you need me for, I'll be here trying to get rid of a headache." He managed a weak smile at her. "Go on. Rhys is off one more day. I'm sure I'll be in later, and either way if anything too bad comes up, I'll know. Thanks for the worry, though."

Gwen nodded, quickly rubbing a hand through his hair before disappearing out the door, allowing Marius to cover his head and groan at the pain. Why was this happening? What would bring this up? He was healing, and now this?

"You okay?" Rhys's voice caused him to turn back into the couch.

"No."

"You need anything?"

"Not yet. Hopefully it'll be gone soon."

--

Rhys was worried. The morning had been odd for Marius, who normally was calm or spending most of his time helping out as much as he could, was now sick. Sunlight seemed to annoy him, he had a headache that none of his medicines could cure, and now he was spending most of his time either looking sick or--

The sounds from the loo made him wince as he looked back down at the number. No matter what, he had to call the number. Marius had told him not to call and bother Torchwood, and had become even more adamant about it later on before this recent bout of being sick.

So that left this number that Gwen said was supposed to be a doctor for his alien race and would arrive in a flash. Rhys frowned at the number, the name, and the title before dialing the number.

"_Hello, how may I help you?_" a female voice answered.

"I'm looking for Professor Avery. Is--."

"_What is the nature of your inquiry?_"

"It's about a patient, Marius. I'm calling because he can't."

"_One moment please._" There was a sudden, small click before the phone was now answered by a deeper male voice. "_Hello? Who is this? How did you get this number?_"

"I-I'm Rhys."

"_Who?_"

"Rhys Williams, Gwen Cooper's fiancée. Listen, I'm calling about Marius because he's sick and--"

"And she gave you the number, huh?" the voice behind him caused Rhys to jump and spin, turning to face an uncommonly beautiful man who reached over to turn off phone Rhys was still holding. "Thanks for calling me. That sounds odd. What are his symptoms?"

Rhys paused, then said, "This morning he had a headache, close to a migraine, then this. He doesn't want me to call Torchwood either, and I guess--."

"Owen could help him a little, but the medicines didn't cover this. I have to check up on him anyway. Still--" he paused, looking around and picking up a random picture of him and Gwen together. "When's Gwen coming home?"

"A few minutes. Why?"

"Just wondering how long I had. I think this is psychometric, not physical."

"What?"

"To quote the Beatles, 'It's all in your mind'. Now then, please pick up the black bag you're about to trip over and come with me."

Rhys looked down, grabbing the bag, and following the man into the bathroom where Marius leaned over the toilet bowl, shuddering as he finished the choking sound.

"That doesn't sound good. How do you feel?"

"Like everything is rearranging itself when it shouldn't and I've turned myself inside-out. Hi Avery."

"Hi yourself. Rhys called me because apparently you're in need of help. From the sounds of it you are. Rhys, pull out the item that looks like a spatula and hand it here. I need to make sure I'm right."

Rhys nodded before digging up the strange item and handing it to Avery, who fiddled with it briefly before hitting Marius on the head with it.

"owwwww..."

"Stop being a baby."

Marius choked, then began to heave again as Rhys looked up at Avery, who sighed as he looked over the readings. "Just like I thought...this is bad."

--

"You could've come out to help!" Rhys yelled as Jack headed down to grab some equipment and Avery walked out, Marius asleep on the toilet.

"Who else came in, besides Jack?"

"How the bloody hell should I know? I've never seen the bloke! Who was he, one of Torchwood's new recruits?"

Avery frowned, shaking his head. "No, Marius or Gwen would've mentioned it, and when he came in Marius got bad enough I had to give him a sedative. I didn't want that guy to know where we were."

"Why?"

He looked at Rhys, then over to the closed door. "Listen, something is fishy here, and sadly all I can tell you or him is that he should look into things that have recently come up, and be ready for things. Oh, and when Gwen comes back, make her comfortable, and if anything, fornicate."

"WHAT?"

"Have sex with her. Cater to her needs. Do various naughty things you would never rightfully discuss with anyone, and have fun while doing it to show her that you know her and her body that well. Marius should leave soon, and probably not come back. Oh, but if Jack asks, tell him I said that Marius and Ianto are connected, and if Marius is showing off something wrong, even if Ianto isn't then there is something wrong. But if Marius is in pain without anything affecting him, it's Ianto. Same in reverse. Okay?"

"Okay, but--."

"I need to get out of here. A lot of other thing to do and people to see. It was nice to meet you, Rhys. Hope I don't see you on an occasion like this again, but if I do, hopefully it'll be good. Bye!" In a sudden flash of gold, just as the door opened, Avery was gone, and Jack stood looking over at Rhys.

"You okay?"

The question served to shake Rhys out of his surprise and back into anger. "No, what do you think I am? My girl's got no memory of me, and you don't know why! Like I'd bloody well be alright!"

--

Marius slowly stood, looking around before blinking. "Loo..." the memory of why he was here hit him and he sighed. "Great."

Marius slowly stood, wincing at the returned pain in his ankle. Okay, so he had lied slightly on that it was 'healing quickly' but it only hurt him if emotional stress came up.

_Which it just has, apparently_, he thought to himself, looking at the connections and wincing. Oh, this isn't good.

He moved out of the bathroom, looking over at Rhys as they almost ran into each other.

"You okay?"

"Better, if that works, but not okay. What's wrong?"

"It's...it's Gwen. She's forgotten me. Jack was here a minute ago, went out to make a call about getting her back here. We're hoping to get some memory back but...well...I dunno. Avery left, said...well...oh, what was it?" Rhys clicked his fingers, then said, "Oh yeah! You and Ianto are connected, if you're in pain then there's something wrong with Ianto and the same in reverse. Plus it's something that just recently happened. And when Jack came in there was this new bloke, I didn't know him and neither you or Gwen mentioned him before. Anything?"

Marius paused, then shook his head. "No, but I'll find out. Don't speak to Gwen about it, though." Marius picked up his coat, heading out before he looked back over at Rhys, "and if Avery gave you any advice, take it. I don't care how odd it sounds or how blunt it was, take it."

"Oh...okay."

Marius headed out the door and paused, frowning as he went.

"_Smoked salmon. It's your favorite, isn't it?"_

"_How did you know that?"_

_What was Gray doing there? He shouldn't..._

_Jack's acting weird, why can't we just go together? It's been a while--_

"Okay, what was that?"

_Adam and I have been together for a whole year today?_

Marius felt himself stop suddenly, pulling away from the minds as he headed from the apartment and closer to the Hub, moving through a longer route and missing the passing of the Torchwood SUV twice before he stopped again.

"Damn it, who does this guy think he is?"

_...remember..._

_...remember.._

"Remember my ass," Marius muttered, stopping at a nearby opened pub to get some water. He winced as the strange..._thing_...asked Jack about his past and tried to force him into speaking it, into remembering just so he could have it, so he could have another way out.

"Juvenile," Marius muttered as he tried to push the memories away. He had gone to the Boeshane Peninsula Office and looked into Jack's file. They had only given him a few things, including that he had been there during an attack, had been taking care of his brother, and that the two had been separated. What happened to the brother was never given to him, and it had only been shown as a possible reason for him joining the Time Agency, but Marius couldn't give him anything. He couldn't leave, and he couldn't go looking for a ghost just to make Jack happy.

_And I'm not that kid either._

Marius drank his glass of water and headed out, stopping again at the sudden disturbance between Owen and Toshiko, then shook his head. "He's seriously fucked this up. I'm not about to let him get away with this."

--

Jack had almost forgotten about Marius until he saw him, heading over towards the Torchwood Hub. He paused on that, turning to go and look for him.

Mairus was sitting, leaning against a wall and holding his head between his hands.

"Marius?"

"go away."

"What's wrong?"

"I...it's..."

"What?"

"Give me a minute. This man...ah, this guy is a novice, and horrible." Marius gritted his teeth before saying, "Go find Ianto."

"Why? You're--."

"I'm in pain because Ian—Ianto's in pain. Go to the Hub. Save him. Adam has to be busy for the rest of the night. Go!"

Jack raced back to the SUV, then heard _Don't rush in. Don't give him a reason to reappear. Give me time. Let me save him._

_**Who?**_

_Ianto, you idiot. Go, and don't worry. I'll get this right. He's a novice, but I'm a—ah..._ A pause, _I'm the master. He's got nothing on me._

Jack left Marius alone to that.

--

_I didn't do that!_

_All human record is a lie!_

_**Stop!**_

_Remember it! Remember it!_

_**That's FUCKING IT! YOU STOP NOW!**_

Ianto felt himself pushed away, stuck somewhere between reality and—and...

_Who the--_

_**Your worst nightmare. You will not mess with him. You will not touch him. I am going to kill you for what you've done.**_

Ianto shook at the anger in the voice and then felt a touch on his shoulder. He turned and wasn't in the rain-drenched area, but in the Torchwood Hub.

"He's not here." Ianto looked over, blinking.

"Marius. This is...dangerous."

"I know," he was leaning against Jack's desk. "Ianto, I'm sorry, but he thinks he's won. I have to let you keep the memory of...of what he wants you to think."

"Why?"

"Jack's coming to find you. I'm right behind him, but—" Marius paused, then looked down. "Never mind. I'll be there faster then you think. I hope."  
"Then what?"

"Simple," Marius said, "Then I deal with Adam. I'm not going to let him exist."

"He...he said he exists in memories. Why can't we let him exist?"

Marius sighed, looking over at him. "He's more a parasite then anything, first off. Second off..." Marius paused before saying, "he's...sloppy. What he's done is not supposed to happen, and he's not supposed to change things like that. If he was good, I wouldn't have gotten a headache or known about it. Don't worry...Jack has faith in you." Marius stood and touched Ianto's shoulder. "You'll let him know something is wrong. I'll help the minute I can."

Ianto nodded, trusting Marius. It wasn't in the same way he trusted Jack, but it was...it was...

Marius gave him a smile, patting his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Do it. I'll forget it, right?"

"Yes."

"Then do it. I can take it..."

Marius sighed. "No you can't. But that will help. You're not a killer, Ianto Jones. You've seen too much death anyway, and Jack knows it."

--

"You're not a murderer, I'm certain of it."

"Of course he's not," Marius' voice caused both to jump briefly as he looked up from the small workstation he sometimes used, the videos from that day on the screen.

"Adam didn't appear until today," he told Jack, "and I told Ianto what I would do."

Ianto, looking over the files of himself being forced to remember a false memory. "I remember now."

"How'd you get here so fast?" Jack asked simply.

Marius pointed to the band around his arm, which had a mild glowing symbol on it. "It left me use that power to transport for a few seconds. I headed here as soon as I could and decided to make sure it would get you moving. If not, I was ready to beat you with a stick."

"Ha ha."

Marius held up a small wooden board. "I grabbed it just in case."

"You were saying?"

Marius looked over at Jack, pulling up Adam's file. "It was only updated and added 24 hours ago. He's been tricking you all, hacking into your minds in the hopes of staying here. The main mistake he made was picking you lot."

"Why?" Jack asked, then realized it. "The connections...and Rhys didn't really say where you were. I nearly forgot about you..."

"He gave me a headache just by doing what he was doing," Marius told him, "then he messed with Ianto like that. I don't care if it was self-preservation, he's officially _pissed _me off. On top of that, I enjoy Owen and Toshiko as they were, not as they are. Reversing their personalities won't help him, and he's not going to stay."

"You sure?" Jack asked. "What's the plan?"

"Simple. Introduce me. I've been out of everyone's minds until I show up...he'll try his thing, and I'll deal with him."

The lights to the Hub turned on as the group turned off the computer, Marius moving away as Owen walked in with a grouping of flowers he quickly put at Toshiko's desk before going to work, Ianto heading up while Marius watched Toshiko and Adam. He glared at the smug Adam, watching Jack and Ianto slowly surrounded him and Jack pointed the gun at him.

Marius walked out, looking over at Adam and Jack. "Jack overreacts to things like this a lot, doesn't he?" he smiled at the team, who blinked upon seeing him before Toshiko muttered, "Marius? What are you--?"

"I came in. I was starting to feel better...until yesterday. Headache, remember Gwen?"

"You said not to bother and tell Jack," Gwen said, her voice only just above a whisper, "and I--."

"Forgot when you remembered Adam?"

"He's been here for years!" Owen countered.

"Which is why Ianto would have known him so well, yeah? Why I would have a connection to him, right?"

Adam reached out, touching Marius, who allowed it despite Jack's annoyed look, then pulled his hand back, gasping in pain. Marius turned to glare at Adam. "That doesn't work on me. I'm not human. I'm not someone you can mess with just because you think you should be allowed life."

"And why are you allowed it when I'm not?" Adam snarled back, his true face showing, "I was in the Void, lost, until I found you all, and your memories."

Marius waited, then shook his head. "Even the Void is a place to be in. You were there for a reason, 'Adam' and you should've stayed there. You don't mess with people's head if your a novice like you...it causes too much pain. You think you're making it better? Gwen should remember Rhys, not you. If Jack wishes to forget something, let him forget! Owen and Toshiko aren't like this, they aren't how you made them just to suit yourself! And Ianto--." At that Marius' face turned dark, the same that Jack and Gwen had seen when Lilith had thought about what Ulamo was doing to him earlier, "I will _destroy you_ for hurting him like that just because he realized it. You could've tried _asking_. You couldn't find anyone who might _need _an extra person, a family member, a loved one, no. You _had _to have them." Marius stepped up in front of the cringing Adam, the evidence of contained power seeming to boil under his skin and around him, causing everyone to shrink back. "You've fucked with their heads, and I won't allow you to survive. Not now, not with a good excuse, and not _ever._"

--

_No one came to the flat warming...no one cared._

You didn't exactly ask, did you? All you did was be quiet, banter once or twice, but keep your head down. And that's how you were caught, with no one to say 'she would never do that'. And then what? Jack found you.

"_Five years..."_

Jack found you. Jack gives you all of them. Not him. Not me. You're brilliant, Toshiko Sato. Lovely and brilliant, and you don't shine brightly like you should, but when you do--

..._but I loved him?_

He forced that on you. You love another. I'm so sorry.

Toshiko felt a tear trail down her cheek as she saw it all. Before the touch there had just been her as confident, as a colleague, then he had chosen _her _for being a fling? For love? Why? Why hadn't she seen through it?

_Because memories sometimes do lie. Oh...Marius...Jack..._

I'm sorry...

--

_Everything...Rhys and everything. Andy fancied me but I always had Rhys, and then there was Jack and oh I would leave Rhys for him but I can't--_

You're giving me a headache.

_Sorry. But he...he..._

You only changed and lost that loved one. I know you love Jack. He loves you too.

_But we can't be, can we?_

...Jack can't have children. He will live forever and ever and ever and it will pain him when you all die. You are not like Ianto to him. You're a different person...you're lovely, and he sees the wonderful wife and friend you make. He will keep you as that, for all you might want more...but you'll be happy, won't you?

_...yes...yes...he can take care of us all and our children and everyone, can't he? And we can keep him human._

Thank you.

--

_I'm...am I like that?_

My first line on you is biography is that you're a prat. You are.

_Thanks._

You've had it rough. She loved you and kicked you out because it was the best. The love of your life died before you could show her everything in your world. Cynicism is a part of you, Owen, because without it you can't survive losing people, and saving them.

_I can't save them all._

No one can.

_I saved you._

You helped.

_Oy!_

You helped in more ways then one. Thank you.

--

_I've lost so much..._

The Hub again glowed in the main office, Marius leaning against the desk. "I took it all out. All the false memories. The only thing left is you."

"What will happen to Adam?"

"Jack's watching him until I reach him, until it's only me."

"And then?"

"I'll show him what a Sidra can do with memories."

--

_Gray...Dad..._

Are they who you are or who you were?

_Could you find them?_

No.

_If I asked, would you try?_

You dad died.

_But Gray—John said he found Gray...he didn't say it but then Gray is alive and--_

And what? What can you do other then be here, Jack? The past cannot be changed, Jack. I can't change your past. I can't tell you the future. Everything for you is linear to me, just as everything the Doctor does is linear for Lilith. We can't find futures and we can't change the past. We can only go on ahead, recording and changing as this does. You're immortal, Jack Harkness, and we can't change that. Use it as the gift and curse it is, but use it to help them.

_I will...but..._

Gray is the past. Just like John, just like the Time Agency, those two years, the Doctor, Rose...you wished to erase John, why can't you erase it all? Why can't you be their leader? You have to remember, Jack...remember the past, cherish it, and learn from it, but don't live it. You'll only destroy yourself.

--

Adam was on his knees, looking at those he couldn't reach as Marius looked down at him.

"You remember me."

Marius tilted his head at the nearly-destroyed entity, frowning at him. "No."

"But—but you did this! You have to know me! You have all their memories in your mind, I can feel them! I'm living through you."

"For now," Marius said, touching the computer and closing his eyes.

"No...no, what are you doing? Stop!"

"I'm putting in a restrained file. You can't exist where it is, Marius, and while I'll be out of it like the others, all they'll know is they've lost 48 hours. All I'll know is that it's for their own good. I've erased you from everything, and you can't return."

Adam shreked in pain, reaching out to Marius. "Stop, please! Please, let me go! Let me go somewhere else, find someone else, just don't kill me like this!"

Marius looked down at Adam, and shook his head. "No. I don't care what I might have to deal with because of this, but you are too dangerous to be allowed to wander here. I can't let you leave and live. I had memories put into me, terrible memories, and one Ianto shares. That you would put such memories into him on purpose, when explaining or pleading would've worked...I'm not forgiving you for it, and I'm not going to be gentle either. They're my Clients, and I don't take well to _anyone _messing with them."

With that, Marius closed his eyes, and forgot.

--

"How did we lose two days?"

Gwen's voice caused Marius to turn over, looking at her. "What does it matter?"

"But--."

"Gwen, all the Retcon is here, and there's just no record of it. Either it was too dull to recall, or something big happened that required forgetting. Either way, if there was something to it you'd have gotten a call from Rhys or something."

Toshiko blinked at the mound of flowers at her desk, picking up the card. " 'To Toshiko, stay brilliant, Marius'? When'd you get these?"

Marius looked over, then shrugged. "In the two days we forget?"

"Oh...why?"

"I'm not allowed to give flowers to a lovely lady?"

"What about me then?" Gwen joked back as Jack smiled from his office, cleaning things up.

"You have Rhys, bother him about it."

"And do you give them to men as well?" Owen asked, coming up from the medical area, "or are you not like Ianto in that sense?"

"I don't give flowers," Ianto protested.

Marius looked over at Ianto. "You gave Lisa tulips on your first date."

"...that was different."

"Since she surprised you and ended up wearing them, sure it was."

"Hey!"

Marius looked back at Owen, "And I give flowers to people I _like, _Owen. You're a grade-A prat, so why are you complaining?"

Owen stuck his nose up in the air, "Just wanted to be loved."

"Then talk to Toshiko."

"Wh-what?" Toshiko turned bright red as she stuttered.

"She can give you the flowers."

"Oh..."

Owen snorted, "Right, because I _need _second-hand flowers."

Toshiko played with the card in her hand. "Well, it's the thought that counts, right?"

Ianto seemed to be looking for something, Marius motioning towards Jack's office as Ianto headed into the area, Jack looking at an odd wooden box before handing over Ianto's diary.

"And I didn't need that mental image, but thanks you two..." Marius muttered as he turned back over and went to sleep again. Something nagged at his mind, something that had been done, but at the same time...it didn't.

_If it's worth remembering or forgetting, I'll have a report on it. Either way...it doesn't matter. They're all safe, though, and I'm better. That's what matters._


	18. Death, Be Not Proud

**Seventeen: **Death be Not Proud

_Death, be not proud, though some have called thee_

_Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;_

_For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow_

_Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me._

_From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,_

_Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,_

_And soonest our best men with thee do go,_

_Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery._

_Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,_

_And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell._

_And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well_

_And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?_

_One short sleep past, we wake eternally_

_And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die_

_--Holy Sonnet 10, John Donnes_

"Jack, your VIP visitor is here." Jack jumped, Marius and the others heading to follow him, all of them obviously intrigued by the announcement of a visitor. Marius had done what he could to stay out of the other's minds, and it usually worked if he turned his telepathy and such towards telekinetic, which he had been doing in order to be useful, though he had to replace two broken cups early on while practicing, despite the fact that Ianto had said they were going in the trash bin anyway.

So he was, like the others, a little surprised at the idea of Jack having a visitor, and it only served to make him happy upon seeing Martha Jones standing there, smiling at Jack then giving him a hug before looking over at the others, smiling upon seeing Marius as well, who returned the smile only briefly, happy she didn't come up to hug him. He had only met and spoken to Martha briefly, before she had gone to become the person she was during that year, and had only monitored her, not knowing if Ianto talked to her (when he did) about anything that was said or not. She and Jack at least shared the duty of being annoyed at the Doctor's one-track mind and his depth for not seeing certain things until much too late.

Marius watched as Martha took over for some of the steps, showing the puncture mark on the man's eye and then searching for his medical record only to find it deleted.

"Even Sidra records are never fully lost," Marius muttered, "and not when everyone dying is linked like this. So, need my help Tosh?"

She shook her head after giving him a quick look. "Not yet, but if it gets harder I'll ask."

Jack patted him on the shoulder, "Come on. Let's give Martha the grand tour."

--

"I'm glad you're alive...I mean..."

Marius smiled at Martha. "It's okay. I wish I had gotten to know you better, but, well...I got what I could from the others about what you did. You're very brave."

"Thank you, though Jack mentioned what happened to you earlier." Marius slowed only briefly and continued before Martha asked quietly, "Was he really worse then..._him? _I mean..."

"I only read about what your demon did. If he had the power of the Sidra he might have done things differently but he wouldn't have done them like Ulamo did. Ulamo would've scared him...more then what he ran to the end of the universe to escape scared him." He gave Martha what he hoped was an encouraging smile. "I only stayed quiet, that's all. Nothing too brave about it."

"Still—I have to ask, but are you and Jack or have you..."

Marius shook his head. "No. I have him in my mind when I'm not careful, and that's enough. I know you haven't."

"How?"

"You weren't listening to that first sentence, were you?"

"Oh...right, but...does that make us, like, the only two people on Earth?"

"Gwen and Rhys, so four, and Owen hasn't, Tosh thought about it but decided he was the boss so no...and..."

"Never mind, I'm just glad I'm not alone in this."

"Only for this century. Now last century--."

"Hey!" Jack's voice from down the catwalk made them look over, "Are you two talking about me?"

"No," Martha said, "we were talking about alien fauna, weren't we Marius?"

"If you'd like to call it that, then yes."

Jack shook his head and continued the tour, heading back to the main area as Marius went to speak with Ianto about getting a phone, as he didn't have access to any of the Sidra ones that most Field Agents were issued. As Ianto started to walk back up to check on something, Marius at the bottom checking something, when the small grouping of equipment exploded, causing both he and Ianto to yell in surprise and look over before Ianto sent a glare towards Owen, who was holding the alien 'scalpel' (Marius was having problems getting the origin or name of the damned thing) before reporting that there had been another attack, though the person survived.

The group headed out, going to the hospital to check in and try to figure out this mystery.

--

Marius worked where he was needed, helping Toshiko when needed and helping Ianto and Gwen with the police investigation. The group went to speak to the newest victim's house, learning that one of the murdered men had diabetes, and the girl in the hospital had once had HIV.

The appearance of sudden larval alien insects didn't help either.

"I am going to have to deal with all of these Caretakers telling me how much they hate you all after this..." Marius muttered as he looked at the dead larva. "Of course, that doesn't change much, and Lilith deals with it just as often..."

"Well, either way, it dangerous," Martha said, "and it seems to be resetting humans to their...well...'factory settings'."

"But at the same time, they incubate the larva. This is going so well," Marius sighed, looking over the reports as Toshiko continued to try and get into the Pharm's database, Ianto searching for the information while Owen and Martha looked into what they had on the now-three dead bodies.

He knew with the technology available, Toshiko couldn't crack the code, and now with what Ianto had found, it appeared that the Pharm needed volunteers. On top of that, and the highest concentration of alien lifeforms this side of the Rift?

Someone had to go in.

It didn't help that both Marius and Martha were thinking they could do it alone.

--

"No."

"Jack..."

"First of all, it's too dangerous--"

"I've been in just as much danger as Martha."

"Second, you don't know what you're looking for--."

"Connection to a doctor, the one you hand-chose."

"THIRD..." Jack let out a breath. "Avery will _kill _me if you die."

"You'll get over it."

Jack sighed as he looked over at the determined Sidra. "So how will you explain two people heading in there? Coincidence?"

"We could be in a relationship," Martha suggested, "and have something that can be transmitted sexually..."

At that, Marius blushed faintly before saying, "Or just friends who learned about it and came there for money and moral support. Doesn't that work?"

Jack smiled briefly at Marius' embarrassed look as Martha asked, "You're in Jack's head, and you don't want to talk about something like that?"

"I might be in Jack's head, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with it. Besides, I can sense other people besides those I'm connected to, and trust me, bringing up doctors around you, especially that Jack might know." Now Martha blushed briefly as Marius looked over at Jack. "You'll get things easier with two people in there instead of just one."

Jack nodded. "Okay, next thing then—they draw your blood, what will they find? I have to guess that it won't be human."

Marius frowned, sighing before he said, "There's the problem, but it'll look enough like a human's that they'll think it might be something they've never seen. Unless they're looking for an alien, they'll think I'm just a human."

Jack now motioned to the lucite band still around Marius' upper arm, which he rubbed. "It's just a decoration..."

"Right...Marius--."

"I'll be able to help Martha, and I'll be able to get information as well. That's what we want, Jack."

"I'm still worried about Avery beating me senseless, and finding new ways to kill me."

"Tell her...er, him...it was my idea. That should work."

"You realize Lilith will be up next after Avery, right?"

"...I'm sure she has more important things to do."

Martha waited as Jack shook his head, finally nodding and walking off to get some items for her before asking, "So, who is Lilith?"

--

_I don't like this._

_**Me neither. I mentioned one disease that Owen said they haven't checked on, and suddenly I'm in. Same with Martha...they're too eager.**_

_Anything else?_

_**...I don't like it. They feel like they're doing more, and both aren't upset about the possibility of deaths or any of us dying. We're lab-rats to them...and there's something else.**_

Marius could feel Ianto's unease through the link, wondering if this was a good thing. Remembering Avery's warning, he knew why Jack and the others disliked it when it was used, even to this small degree.

They were just waiting on dark, the two having been put up in different rooms but near each other, the story they told of being friends, both with a different disease that had drawn them together as neither could be cured but they wished to look into anyway, as well as make some money for student loans.

_**What was that you were talking to Owen and Toshiko about?**_

_It's just something that came up and gave me a small headache. That's all...just between the two._ There was a long pause before he told Ianto, _Go find the killer. We're going to see what's out here._

--

The minute they were outside, he felt it. He probably could have blocked it out, but the whole of it was just too much for him to really take in at once.

Martha quickly went to his side, pulling him behind a building. "What's wrong?"

"In there," he muttered, "_this _is wrong. It's too much."

Martha stroked his cheek before asking, "Can you continue?"

"I have to. I'm not about to let you get hurt."

"Oh?"

"Your boyfriend will never let it go if you _do _get hurt." Marius smiled, "I'm glad you enjoy him so much."

"I needed him."

"You did, and he needed you. Come on."

Martha nodded, helping him up as they followed the sound before he started to stop her. "No, not that way, it's..."

The large, angry and scared Mayfly appeared before them, causing Martha to back up as Marius looked up at it, trying to figure out a way to connect partly with it. Too much drugs and pain were in it, though...what the hell were these human thinking?

The sounds of gunshots caused both he and Martha to turn, only to have something stick in his neck as he saw the world go black.

_No, not again, not..._

--

He had a strange dream, in which he saw through Ianto's eyes for a little while and felt the worry from Jack when something disappeared, something Martha had had, and then the decision to go in but the man they were going to use exploded when Owen tried out the Singularity Scalpel and--

--Marius woke with a start, shaking as he found himself once more tied down to a bed, his heart racing in chest as he attempted to get loose, the memories of his time with Ulamo fresh until he felt the open connections, as well as saw Martha, also strapped down, and the doctor nearby, smiling at him. "Ah, you're awake. So good of you to join us, Marcus, if that is your name. Your friend was just telling us that she doesn't know what an alien is."

"And?" he asked, trying to calm himself down as he saw the bag that was going into Martha's system...Reset.

"And, I believe she's lying. After all, your bloodwork comes back with some...unusual, items. None of which are known on Earth. So what are you, exactly?"

"I'm a human, like her! Like you! What are you doing to her anyway?"

"Oh, nothing too bad, just a little experiment. You both did sign up for it, after all," the doctor smiled at him, causing Marius' blood to run cold. This man wasn't like Ulamo, but he _thought _this was helping people. So did his assistant. Both of them believed that, with the killing of so many, the few left would be fine for whatever, and with holding aliens like him hostage, they could find cures for everything.

"We didn't sign up for...for...whatever this is!" Marius tried to hold the role of being a concerned friend (he was, though) and not panic, keep that down, this wasn't the same...

"Oh, but you did. Reset is created by that creature you both saw, the Mayfly. It helps destroy the disease, but later creates...problems. We've had to destroy most of our patients, but I've never had one like her. Did you know, your friend traveled in time?"

"WHAT? That's...I mean...that's impossible! Right? Sam?"

"I don't know what he's talking about, Marcus. Let him go, I've know the bloke all my life!"

The doctor smiled. "I doubt that very much. Now, you'd best tell us what you know, and what you are. Can't go mislabeling you, can we? If you do, we'll see about saving your friend, though," the smile made Marius swallow, "I don't know if that's possible anymore."

"No. No, don't kill her! We don't know anything! Let her go, I don't know what you're talk about, aliens and time travel and all, but--."

The doctor slapped him hard, Marius blinking at the sting and still shaking. He'd been through worse, he had to concentrate on getting out, on saving Martha.

"It doesn't matter if you talk or not, Marcus. We'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

--

The minute Jack burst through the door, Marius gave up on playtime and using his power, built up for the minutes when the doctor made him watch Martha writhe, go through the agony of being forcibly 'reset', to unlock the buckles as he stumbled forward, cursing the fact that the drugs were still making him uncoordinated.

"They put Reset in her," he muttered, glaring at the doctor, "and she's going to die if we don't do something."

"How did you--."

Marius' and Jack's glare cut the doctor short while Owen scrambled in his bag, finally pulling out the Singularity Scalpel.

"NO!"

"We don't have a choice!" Owen yelled to Jack, Marius not saying a word as he mind, unluckily, moved to the two mindsets that he was connected to after the sudden use of his untrained power.

"Let him," Marius said slowly, looking over at Jack, "It _is _all we have. Please."

Jack nodded, helping Marius out of the way as Owen did what he could, and suddenly--

Martha gasping back to life startled all of them, causing Marius to fall down hard before smiling. She was fine. Everything was going to be okay.

Marius found the strength to stand, but had to give Owen the honor of helping Martha out, his own feet barely carrying him as he headed outside, smiling at Ianto weakly.

"You okay?"

"Fine. You?"

"Glad you were there, not there," Ianto's nod made Marius understand. He had been one of those to go into that area, and see what they were doing to the aliens they held. Had they been later, or sent Marius in alone...

"We're going to shut it all down," Toshiko said as Marius held onto the Torchwood SUV for support. Stupid drugs.

"Good," Marius muttered, "at least they won't have to live like that..."

The doctor's assistant looked over at him with contempt. "You're destroying years of research."

"Would you have kept Typhoid Mary, or any other human, in those conditions?" Marius argued back, "It's only 'right' to you because they're not human. If they were, you'd have said something by now."

The woman glared at him but said nothing as Toshiko quickly went to work, shutting down the Pharm. Marius frowned upon noticing that the head doctor wasn't around, his head aching from all the emotional turmoil due to what was seen, what was happening, and his inability at the moment to shut it all out.

The group was about to leave when they found the doctor holding a gun, pointing it at the nearest person: Owen.

Near the rear of the car, Marius cursed, the turmoil building around him and unable to focus enough to get a good hold on the gun. He cursed himself for not having taken more time to concentrate on that aspect of his mental abilities, as well as on his heritage making him more telepathic then telekinetic.

"I know you don't want to shoot."

"Owen!" he caught it too late as the gun went off suddenly, causing everyone to jump as Marius felt the bullet, as clearly as Owen felt it, rip through his chest and he stumbled, leaning heavily against the car as he did so and cutting off the cry of agony he felt.

_Damn it, Owen, you stay here! You can't leave! You--_

A new pain, this one like the fire that had torn and reworked his links after the Year that Never Was rushed through him suddenly as he vaguely heard another gunshot, felt the horror, fear, worry, tension, anxiety, everything that the others were feeling.

But it was all overshadowed by the fact that the connection to Owen, his connection to a living, breathing person, was being viciously cut, burned away, and the pain was too much to even scream at, too much to hold onto even if he had to hold it away from Ianto and Jack and the others and oh Elders it hurt...

Marius couldn't feel the ground or the truck, all he felt was the lava burning away all that Owen was, all that he would be, could be, and severing it simply, like a battle-field surgeon without any type of anesthetic to ease the pain and with the patient fully aware and able to see it all, feel it all, unable to move as a part of them was burned and cut off all at the same time--

--

Marius was barely-conscious when Ianto brought him into the office, the others helping to bring in Owen's body. Ianto knew little about the connections Marius had with them all, but the sudden spike of how closed off the young man had been after finding and rescuing him from the Pharm, as well as the almost immediate closing off but obviously pained looked he'd worn as Owen's body cooled and Ianto noticed him shook the other man to the core. He and Marius were almost like brothers, the connection only helping to enhance that feeling after meeting him and spending time with the other man, and while they had been warned about using it, Ianto found it comforting to have.

He assumed, and was never corrected otherwise, in knowing that Marius felt the same way.

And he remembered, as he did with a good amount of things, that Marius used Jack as a sanity-Hub, a way to keep himself sane, because Jack couldn't die.

Ianto had never wondered what happened when they died, or how Marius would act, but seeing him now made him realize how important they were to the young man. He was nearly catatonic, as was Toshiko, but this was...different. Toshiko was catatonic because _Owen _had died, before anything could happen (Ianto had to believe that Owen knew about Toshiko's crush and had done nothing only because he didn't want to hurt her, because if he didn't know he was obviously an idiot). Marius, though...

Ianto could _feel _the mental pain coming from him, though it felt like it was filtered so much he was only getting a very small portion of it. With Jack having raced off to get something and exclaiming no one was to touch the body until he returned, Ianto sat next to him and finally gave the equivalent of a mental knock as Martha went to change and the two girls did what they could to keep busy.

_**Go away.**_

_Show me._

_**No.**_

_I can help._

_**It's mine to bear. I'm not going to share it with you.**_

_Please..._

Marius fixed him briefly with a glare that Ianto had to guess came from older brothers when they told you not to do something or were trying to get you to wise-up. _**This is worse then the pain you felt when you lost Lisa, or when the Cybermen attacked. This is worse then losing Jack. This is a hundred times worse. Please, Ianto. Leave me alone.**_

_No. Not until you let me help you. Not until you see that I _can _help you._

Marius closed his eyes, his head turning only vaguely, reminding Ianto of how weak he had been the first few days after—well, after.

The inner door between the two budged only a fraction of a millimeter, or a fraction of a fraction of a millimeter, and Ianto felt himself tense at the pain. That wasn't like losing Lisa: it was like losing Lisa, Jack, everyone, finding himself the only one alive and too badly hurt to cry for help--

_**Now leave me alone.**_

The door abruptly shut, and Ianto sighed, rubbing Marius shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want you to feel this."

"I do, though. It's not the same, but I do."

Marius' eyes remained closed, a low sigh escaping as Ianto could almost _feel _his pain disappear. "It's over. I wish it was...I wish it was still open. There. I can't feel him, Ianto. He's gone...he's gone."

Martha walked over, sitting on the other side of Marius and giving him a brief hug as the door opened and in walked Jack.

Holding a box, racing into his office, and pulling out the other Resurrection Glove...

"I'm bringing Owen back."

--

Owen gasped for life, looking around as everyone once more jumped away, Martha most of all.

"What happened, where am I? Oh my God, I'm shot. He shot me!"

"Owen, we don't have much time..."  
"Wait, this isn't a hospital, it's the autopsy room. What am I doing here? Jack...oh no. Whaz that...what's that?!"

"A Resurrection Glove. We lost you, but I brought you back."

"How long have I got?"

Ianto looked at his stopwatch. "We're at thirty seconds and counting."

"Oh no, Jesus, really..."

"Okay team, say your goodbyes. Gwen..."

"GWEN, no offense, but I only got TWO MINUTES TO LIVE."

"Toshiko..."  
"I'm going to miss you...and I love you. I always have."

"Owen...I need the code for the alien morgue, you're the only one who has that."

"You brought me back for that? For THAT? You didn't ask Marius?"

"I'm sorry...wait, he knows it?"

"It's 231165," Marius said from behind Ianto, "and Owen..." he paused quickly, then said, "I'm sorry I called you a prat before I knew why. You're a good man."

"That's helpful now."

Marius looked upward, his eyes shiny with unshed tears though he sounded almost like Owen as he muttered, "Fine, never mind me then."

Owen finally nodded, Jack holding his hand as the two minute mark passed, and then at the two minute twenty-second mark, Owen muttered about needing his hand back.

"Oh, here we go again," Ianto took the chance to mutter.

--

"He's not draining power from Jack," Marius said when Suzie and her partial resurrection was brought up.

"How do you know?" Martha questioned, obviously annoyed with the medically-impossible Owen trying to figure out how he _was _still alive when he had no pulse but there was brain activity, as Suzie had had a pulse as well as the activity.

"Considering she was draining mine as well because I have a connection to everyone, I think I would notice the sudden reappearance of any connection or any drain through one," Marius noted, a little annoyed himself it seemed. "They're not connected, Jack is fine--."

"Thanks."

"Shut up, and Owen is dead-yet-alive."

"Plus this glove is different," Ianto said, bringing up the other Glove as Gwen, almost on instinct, moved away from it.

"How many are there?" Martha asked, annoyed as well and causing Marius to glare at her as Ianto answered that two-"they tend to come in pairs"-and where they had gotten the other one before this one. Marius made only a small mental note that Gwen was taking her own issues and talking, though only vaguely and a little quietly, over with Rhys to get it off her chest.

He was fine with that: one less person to deal with. Everyone else was...well...

Owen moved over to autopsy, waiting as Martha headed down to check on him, Marius trying to help Toshiko as they looked it up and also trying to find what he could through his contacts within the Sidra community.

But nothing came up. Not because there was nothing, but--

"My access is being taken away," Marius told Jack when asked, the group looking at him, "it's been about two months, and they're just waiting to see if I'll return or if they'll need a new Caretaker. In the meantime, I can't find out what the glove is or where it's from. I'm sorry..."

Jack shook his head. "Don't be. You've done what you can, after all."

Marius nodded, heading off with the others to search for something until Martha raced up, saying that the energy Owen was showing was now off the scales as Ianto grabbed Jack's jacket, Marius moving out of the way before he suddenly turned to glare at Martha as she asked Jack why UNIT was never told about the first Resurrection Glove.

"Because they would have wanted to use it," Jack answered, even as Martha argued that Owen was officially half of something else, and his human half was dead, so they needed to stop thinking about him as Owen but as something dangerous.

Marius had the good sense to get away from her before he hurt the former companion of the Doctor.

--

"You really need to stop that," Marius muttered as Ianto walked over to where he had secluded himself, "Avery will be on us like white on rice."

"He'll be on us anyway, considering how often we open it despite all the warnings," Ianto countered. "Can you feel Owen?"

"No."

"Jack?"

"He's blocking me. He's rather good at it, thankfully."

"Are you mad at Martha for how she is?"

Marius remembered the Martha he had met, that Ianto and the others had helped, how different they all had been in the end, and-- "For how she is now, yes. She's not jaded, like Jack can be, but she's...militant. She cares but not enough. I didn't like how she got about the Glove, or about Owen. He's not fully human, and he is dead, but that doesn't mean he's not still Owen. And she saw us react to the Glove, and I know she saw how Gwen reacted as well. Something that brings people back to life at the risk of the user isn't worth telling UNIT about, even if she thinks it is. This is all too dangerous for any of us."

"Should we back off? Just let it be?"

Marius shook his head. "No. Someone does have to face the dan--" he paused suddenly, his mind freezing as he heard the information that usually went unheard and looked over at Ianto. "Holy Sonnet 10, by John Donnes..."

"'Death, be not Proud'? What about--" Ianto froze, Marius realizing why as he quickly shut the connection as much as possible, causing Ianto to look over at him. "What was that?"

"The Field Agents of Earth. They're panicking over Owen, over what he brought back. That poem is one of their codes."

"For...dead walking?"

Marius shook his head. "No. For Death appearing on Earth, and a possible fight before the End of Days."

The two were only a second behind the other as they got up and raced to the main room in hopes of finding Jack or the others and the answer to what they had heard.

--

"Oh this isn't good," Marius said as they found the CCTV footage, the voice overlapping Owen's telling him all he really needed to know and confirming what they had heard anyway.

"What's wrong?" Martha asked, "And what is that?"

"There's how much I know, and how much I don't."  
"Let's got with know first," Ianto muttered.

"The Field Agents have activated Holy Sonnet 10 of John Donnes, meaning Death is supposed to come and be fought. Those words are Infernal, the language of Death, saying it will walk the Earth and it's hunger shall know no bounds. Owen was brought back to life, and like Suzie, mentioned a 'thing' in the darkness. I thought it was Abbadon, but now that I see this..."

"So what don't you know?" Toshiko asked.

"How long it'll take Owen to change into an avatar. That's the only way Death, as you call it, can enter this realm and try to gain hold over it."

"So how much worse can this get?" Gwen asked as they looked over to see Jack and Owen return.

"A lot worse," Jack said before telling them what he had seen the Weevils do when they encountered Owen.

--

"Are we going to go on something she's Google'd?" Toshiko asked after Gwen came back with the information.

"Sadly, we have to," Marius said, "I was able to get hold of the small network again: the one Field Agent in this region is reassigned until this 'blows over', and all others are on recall as needed. Even Sidra die."

"You said the language was Infernal," Martha added, "Why that?"

"Infernal is a general term for languages used by generic ideas that are beings, such as Death, the Devil, etc."

"And what about Angels?" Gwen asked.

"Could we get back to Owen and his eventual turn into an avatar and gateway to Death?"

"Thanks," Owen said as the others quickly decided that the only thing to really do was embalm Owen.

Unluckily, they forgot that the Gloves could be rather annoying...

Marius jumped when it tried to attack Martha, grabbing it quickly and pushing a small burst of energy into it as it flew away, racing up to where Ianto had been as Martha moved up to the higher area, Owen trying to free himself in order to help as the rest of the group waited, Ianto returning with a small cane or something that Jack gave him a questioning look about.

Marius and Ianto looked at it and sent a glare back to Jack, obviously annoyed by the questioning of either of their logic in this manner. The sound of the Glove rattling caused everyone to be tense, though no one could see it and Marius certainly couldn't feel it, even with the small energy signature he had tried to leave on it.

_This isn't good_, he thought when the whole of the area when quiet and Martha slowly leaned over the railing.

The Glove attacked, the group moving to get it off Martha as Owen got loose and quickly got it after Jack threw it down, getting Jack's gun shortly after to destroy it.

Martha felt the group's amazement at the aging that had taken place in Martha Jones, then heard the instruments beeping quickly as Jack's gun was dropped. Oh Elders...

"**I shall walk the Earth, and my hunger shall know no bounds.**"

As Death was released from Owen, Marius quickly made eye contact with Jack before reaching into himself, as deeply as he could, and pushing open all the connections except for one. With that, he pushed a small amount of the energy into everyone as Death attacked...

...Marius awoke with a start, happily noting that a few years of his life had worked wonders to keep the group alive, though Jack lay dead nearby.

Death had taken one of Jack's many lives, and that wasn't going to phase the immortal.

"Get Martha," he gasped out as everyone got up, the two girls hurrying to help Martha as he and Ianto carried the currently-dead Captain Jack out, Marius noting that Owen was slowly getting to his feet and following them. The group was slow enough that, by the time they loaded everyone in, Owen had made it with his clothing and they were on their way to the hospital.

"Are you okay?" Gwen asked him as she raced over there.

Marius nodded, blinking against a sudden wave of dizziness. "Remind me to not do that again, though."  
"You grabbed Jack's energy too," Ianto said matter-of-factly as they went, "That's why we're alive. After all, Sidra can die too."

Marius frowned before nodding. "That was all I had from him, though. I don't have anymore. After this, I'll have to get the bracelet off before I can be as free of normal Death as any Sidra can be...how's Martha?"

"Fading," Toshiko said, "but hopefully we'll get there soon."

Marius nodded. "Hopefully."

--

Ianto and Marius stayed with Martha, using the computer nearby and what they could to do research as they looked for it, waiting as the place was evacuated and Ianto found it, Marius feeling the answer when Ianto found it.

"Faith did, the little girl."

Marius knew the answer now. "That's why the dead and Death always walk together. Death needs him to go, but he's also the counter agent. The only thing to take the energy of the dead that being has is someone who is dead."

Then suddenly there were a few yells, but not a lot of anything.

"Jack?" Ianto tried, "Gwen? Tosh? Anyone?"

A hand grabbed the two shoulders, causing the two men to turn with a mild yell but smiling at seeing it was only Martha, back to her normal self, and fine.

In a sense.

--

Marius sat outside of Torchwood Three and looked over at Yvenda as she stormed up to him, waiting as she pulled her hand back and slapped him harshly.

"You let in a _human_ to our link? You used it against us?"

Marius didn't bother to rub his cheek, only looked back at her. "Funny, I thought you _liked _humanity. That's why you get all in a huff when the Doctor appears to save the day, since Humans or something else like to blunder into things. And I didn't ask for him to be so connected he could find that signal, nor did I ask your new Field Agent to be so obvious or _loud_. Plus, it was Death, and no one else seems to mind that I had nothing to do with defeating it; that was all my Client."

"Your _ex-Client_," Yvenda growled, "You and your _Clients _are as bad as Lilith and hers...always messing things up, always making things worse, and now we have a dead man, walking around Cardiff. He doesn't even _count _as a Client, and yet you treat him as such."

"He's dead, but he's still Human, and he still is a type of Client. He still works for Torchwood to a degree and right now is trying to find his place, a balance for this new development. Why are you really here, Yvenda? What's so important you have to come here and demand I be belittled? I have other things to do."

The older Sidra snorted, her glare settling on him. "Your cousin asked me to check up on you, find out if you were going to get your sense back and come home." She eyed the visible band around his arm, her eyes showing a good deal of fear and repulsion. "He said there was a way to return to being Sidra, that you _know _what he's talking about."

"I do."

"So why not take it? Why live like this, waiting for that to come off? Why are you part of Torchwood when you should be just an observer?"

Marius stood, giving Yvenda only a small nod as acknowledgment. "I need to get back. There are things to do and people to comfort."

"So why not do what your cousin said? Why not--."

"I'm not going to do it."

"He's just a connection."

"He's a Hub."

"And you have another. As long as you have one, you can be fine, and that one lasts forever. Why do you need a mortal as a Hub anyway? Why not--."  
"I told you," Marius found himself getting angry and not wanting to even look at Yvenda. "I'm not going to do it. The risk is too great, and...and I wouldn't anyway, even if he was just a connection. I won't sacrifice my soul just to go back home."

He walked away, not bothering look up as he felt Jack's eyes bore down on him, realizing Jack had seen the exchange and wanted to know what they were talking about, and what the odd solution that had been eluded to was, and why he was reluctant to take it up.

--

_Death, be not proud..._the words were simple, and fit into the sonnet, but that didn't help one Owen Harper as Marius sat, waiting for him to return from his small time looking at the Weevils and how they acted towards him.

"Are you done tailing me?" Owen's voice caused Marius to look quickly, and even grinning briefly at it.

"Nope."

"Why are you here, then? Not because the Tea Boy is annoyed I nearly broke his machine, right?"

"No, though he's a little annoyed Jack gave you that job. He still considers it his, and while he's fine with the help, which is what he'll call it, and he won't complain to Jack too much about it, he'd rather they allow you to get out of your huff and work how you used to."

"Oh?"

"You need productiveness, Owen," Marius said, "You also need to stop being such a prat and deal with it. You're dead, you're different, and if you keep acting like you do, you're going to be a broken dead person and we're going to have to deal with you whining all the more. I don't think you can kill yourself again, at least not easily."

"Is that your way of saying you're getting a headache from me?"

Marius stopped at that and looked down before saying, "What happens to magnets when two of the same polarization get near each other?"

Owen paused at the change of subject before answering. "They repel each other."

"I felt every minute of you dying, on top of having the connection I had with you cut. That feels something akin to being cut open slowly and having everything in you burned out, nothing to numb the pain and well aware you have to deal with it because there's no way to become unconscious. After that...nothing. I have that dead-end connection where you're supposed to be and I can't even _feel _where you are. I can't make the connection again because you're dead..."

Owen looked Marius over, hurt showing in his eyes, before saying, "Anything else, besides healing, eating, drinking, sex, and the like that I can't do now?"

"I don't know. I wish I could answer that."

"I'm sorry for it."

Marius smiled briefly. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop that bullet. But being sorry and doing something about your current state are two very different things."

Owen gave a smile. "You're about as much of a prat as I was, and as Jack is."

"Jack's a Hub, and I think I gained a few of your traits. Don't expect me to be dissecting anything or knowing medical things either, though. It's probably just a phase."

"Oh, thanks."

--

Marius was there again when Owen pulled himself out of the river, clicking a familiar stop-watch and saying simply, "Forty-two minutes. Congratulations on the record."

"Does Jack know you're stalking me?"

"Would you rather it be him? And I only knew you've been in a rut because you scared and pissed off Toshiko pretty badly. Jack wanted to come down and smack you around some, at least verbally, but they have important things to do, the likes of which neither of us can help with because Jack took your clearance and I'm an alien who's doctor will seriously mess up Jack's world if I get hurt again."

Owen sloshed over to where Marius sat, sitting down beside him and looking at his now-permanently-broken finger. "I need _something, _damn it! I'm still a doctor, and--"

"And you're dead. Get over it."

"Was that any advise they gave you when you're feeling us tortured, or when you were? 'Get over it'?"

Marius' rescue from Ulamo, and his slow opening up to the various other pains he had felt while connected to the group, had taken almost all of these two months, but no one had really openly discussed any of it with him besides making sure he was fine and nothing came back up. Owen had been his doctor, and now Martha was. Now he wasn't even part of that connection--

"When Ulamo was still a Sidra, he captured one Field Agent who was conduction research on the place he now staged himself. In fact, that Sidra nearly escape and blew the whistle on his activity before Ulamo captured him. After a day of torture, he started to reveal the names of those he was connected to, not because he wanted it but because all of them had been captured and he expected some pity. Ulamo didn't realize how the connections worked until he started killing them off and my ancestor got weaker from it. He thought he had taken out them all when a group was able to rescue him. By the time Avery got there to help, he was dead, and so was his last connection, his Hub." Marius paused in his story. "When I was the equivalent of three in Human years I heard that story, as a lesson on not getting connections. When I was five I was shown pictures of what had happened, of what had been done, even of the man himself. Very few Sidra children from my time, or even that of Lilith's time, knew about Ulamo. So until I met Lilith, all I had in my head was that I was not to have any connection to my Clients. Connections caused pain, and Hubs could cause madness or death." Marius took in a breath. "Lilith showed me differently. Working outside and on my own, unsupervised, showed me differently. Even when I had a brief run as the Doctor's Caretaker, and let me tell you that was interesting, I wanted to help and did what I could."

Owen watch as Marius seemed to stare out at the water, as if waiting for more answers.

"After the trip to the Beacons to save Yvenda, and when I found out I had those connections and worked it so I had two Hubs, one accidental or not, I was disowned by my family. My sister has two kids, one who's just getting into being an Archivist. The last time I was there, she didn't even speak or acknowledge me as being there, and later on I got a rather nasty letter about my 'unprofessional manner' after her supervisor chewed her out for it, even though I didn't say anything. My brothers...well, they aren't about to go against what they learned. I have about five cousins, four I'm close to, who wouldn't respond to anything I had to say. The fifth...he's an Enforcer, and did his homework." Marius face grew dark. "After you died, the person I saved came and said I should take a route that would result in another death, and despite the fact that it would hurt me, thinking it would be for the best."

"What'd you say?" Owen knew the answer.

"I politely told her to shove it," Marius gave a ghost of a smile and finally told Owen, "I had to adjust to losing a family when that was all I cared about, and gaining you freaks of nature as pals in my head. Even if you're dead, and I can't do anything for you, you're still a friend. I still care for you, and I'm not about to watch you destroy yourself."

Owen finally smiled at that. "I might need more then a pep-talk to get over this."

"You probably will, so I'll just ask that you no destroy yourself, okay?"

"I'll do my best. By the way—if I'm like family--."

"I'm not going to give you a hug or money, since I never did that with my own siblings anyway. Now come on, let's get you dried out and back to the Hub before Jack comes out here and drags you back for _his _pep-talks."

Owen groaned, "I'm getting one anyway..."

"You could always try to beat your record..."

"Cheeky bastard."

"I learn from the best."

--

"Are you our psychologist now?"

Marius looked over at Jack, who was standing nearby with his arms crossed, his mind blocked from Marius' usual low-level checks he sometimes gave the group. They had just gotten back from the mission that once more showed Owen's worth, at least enough to where he was given a clean bill of mental health and Martha was sent on her way back to UNIT. There was no doubt that Mairus had helped greatly in this and Toshiko especially seemed very grateful for his interference, as Jack had called it.

"If it gives me a purpose, I suppose I will be," Marius said, "though I have just as many problems as you all do."

"What was that friend of yours talking about...the solution to getting you back home?"

As much as Marius had tried to prepare for that question, it still made him stiffen. "It's nothing I'm going to try."

"She mentioned a Hub. That's me or Ianto, and I want to know."

Marius looked over at Jack, a battle of wills taking place and both refusing to budge at the moment.

"I'm not going to tell you Jack, and I'm not going to use it. I don't care if it's ten minutes or ten decades, I'll wear the band out and return on my own sweet time."

Jack snorted. "In the meantime you'll just have a new person to take orders from that you might not know, or even get exiled like Ulamo did. And what if you don't survive those years? Who'll that fall on?"

"Me, and only me. Avery can yell at you all he wants, and Lilith can threaten some creative things, but it'll ultimately land on me. Like your actions land on you, and everyone else's have landed on them, and don't _think _I can't drag them up just to get you to back off. I'm not in the mood for this, _Captain_." Marius wielded the word like a knife, realizing he could easily used Jack's real name and Jack knew it. Jack had a lot of things he wasn't proud of, and Marius knew all of them. Marius knew about Ianto's past, his feelings for Lisa and what had been done. Marius _knew _all of them well enough to bring up every flaw in character if he wanted to, and he hadn't. He had never let out that threat either, not in that way, and because of it, Jack backed off only slightly.

"Would it really result in one of us dying?"

Marius glared at him, then turned away, finding the wall and the hole where Myfaywy nested much more interesting suddenly. "Yes."

"No other way out of it?"

"None."

"And what about you?"

"I'd need a new body."

"And you'd feel it...but they seem to think you can handle that."

Marius snorted. "Yvenda doesn't have a line to any Elder of our race, and as such she's not particularly kind to some of us. She downright _hates _Lilith and the Doctor, and she's starting to get annoyed with me for siding with Lilith, and for doing what I've done involving your group. You're all from the same cloth, she figures, and just as meddlesome. She doesn't take into account all the dangers there are here."

"What about that cousin she mentioned? He's related..."

Marius shook his head quickly. "Cousin or no, he doesn't understand connections or Hubs. None of my family does, only that it's a bad thing. If you're done."

Jack knew that it was time to back off. Maybe Ianto could get something from him, but he doubted it, not because he doubted Ianto's ability, but because both men would protect the other's secrets with their life.

"I'll see you around, Marius."

He didn't hear Marius answer back.


	19. Something Old, Something New

_Sorry for the long wait, life smacked me hard before letting me go, and now I'm not sure what to do with my time. Enjoy the story!_

**Eighteen: **Something Old, Something New

"For the last time, Rhys," Marius said over the phone quietly, happy that he was the only one in the office right now, "I'm not going to go to your stag night."

"_But Gwen said..._"

"She didn't mention it--."

"Oh, Marius, Rhys said that he wanted to talk to you about his stag night."

Marius looked over at her as he asked, "When did he ask?"

"About two days ago. I couldn't find ya...Ianto mentioned you were lookin' for a flat too."

"Yes."

"There's one--."

"I know."

"So...are you going?"

Marius looked down at the phone and said simply, "Rhys, you can stop smirking _now. _I'll go to the bloody party."

--

Marius wasn't sure what was causing the headache, and a quick check told him that it was two things.

The first was surprise, fear, and hormones from Gwen because she was..._wait one bloody moment..._

Next was the fact that despite telling Rhys and his friends, REPEATEDLY, that he was a light weight, that he would be the DD for the time, and that they gave him _one drink..._

...okay, FIVE drinks...one friend decided if there was to be drinks that would show off how bad Marius was with alcohol, it would have to be one that would take them _all _out.

"Whoever invented tequila should be shot," Marius moaned as he sat up, slowly as Rhys' phone rang and he shook his head as Rhys spoke to Gwen, then said, "It's bad luck before the wedding!" then looked over at the awake-and-worried-sober Marius, then himself in the mirror before asking, "What happened?"

A click of the phone and Marius struggled up, glaring at Rhys as they headed out to Rhys' car. "Don't _ever _make me do that again."

"What're the others doing?"

"Sleeping off the effects of last night. Please tell me that the stripper--."

"I meant _Torchwood_."

Marius knew he meant that. Rhys knew he knew that. Marius suppressed his grin at the mild revenge.

"Making sure it's safe, or at least safe enough that she won't be hurt."

"And?"

"Gwen wants to go ahead with the wedding."

"And?"

"She's going to tell you, I'm just going to help out Ianto. I asked him to pick me up outside your house."

"Why?"

"Because I've got a headache and need something that will chase it away, and anything emotional from you two I _don't--_" Marius paused as he was talking, causing Rhys to worry more.

"Now what?"

"I just remembered something is all. It doesn't concern Gwen, don't worry."

"Who does it concern?"

"A friend who's pregnant. I was suddenly happy that Gwen wasn't a Sidra."

"Why? I mean, besides the demi-god thing and the lack of alcohol tolerance."

"My sister's use for excess energy was to create a few things that weren't all that pretty. A friend of mine destroyed a building _and _another demi-god thing with her excess energy."

Rhys was quiet for a second before Marius told him, "Ask Gwen. She was there, I was just unconscious."

--

"We're quite used to men buying dresses for their 'friends'."

Ianto glared at the sales clerk, then to Marius who was holding back physical laugher.

_Stop that._

_**You'd look better in a different color. And Gwen was wearing a different one.**_ Without much pause, Marius got up, pulling out another style and showing it to Ianto, comparing the dresses.

_You look good too._

_**Yes, well, you look better. Should we take photos and ask Jack?  
**__...later._

Marius put the dress back as he said out loud, "So, can you guess what her new measurements are?"

"Yes. How're things on her end?"

Marius chanced a quick glance then said, "They've thought of something. Gwen's being stubborn, dislikes the fact we're all up for postponing the wedding."

"Ah...you included?"

Marius looked over at Ianto, placing another dress back as they searched. "Sidra don't marry in this sense. There's...paperwork. A lot of it, and only if they feel they're compatible or are found in...compromising situations...with someone else. We take these things seriously, and so anytime you take vows of that sort, you have to realize it's for forever, in every sense. We're not big on divorces."

Ianto gave a mild smile as he moved to the other side. "No, just misplaced paperwork."

"You wouldn't _believe _how much of _that _floats around."

"Avery mentioned someone being mislabeled for a few thousand years."

Marius nodded. "That too." He finally pulled out one that, after showing it to Ianto, got a nod. "Perfect."

"Good. Let's get to the blushing bride and get this over with."

--

"Look what our friend was hiding!" Owen said, dragging out a familiar-looking organ for Jack, Ianto and Marius to see.

"And that is?" Ianto asked.

"A Protius-gland," Marius answered, giving Owen an apologetic look, "I worked with their Caretaker once, during training. It belongs to a Nosterite."

"Which is?" Ianto asked.

"Trouble," Jack told him, "Big trouble."

"Understatement of the day, Jack," Marius told him as Owen put the thing back, the group walking back into Jack's office as Marius rattled, "It's in the 'H' code for Humans, since it's a shape-shifter that tends to feed on human flesh. They're intelligent and sneaky--."

"This one is dead," Ianto pointed out as he got Jack's gun for him.

Marius added, "--and mate for life, never leaving the other one alone. So yes, this one _is _dead...the other one isn't."

Owen took over, telling Ianto about the fact that male carried the eggs, implanting it in a host. The mother came in when she ripped the child from the host.

The group headed out, Owen grabbing his equipment while Marius headed over to get a gun as well, Jack glaring at him as he did so. Marius had never really been on an assignment before, but with Toshiko not responding to calls, they might need help.

Plus he had the idea it would be hard to stop him from coming.

Next worry...Owen...though he seemed to be ready for this and more 'comfortable', if you'd call it that, with being dead. Marius seemed to be a good comfort for him as the group headed in, Jack commenting on the Singularity Scalpel that Owen was bringing.

"I'm better with it."

"Could we stop arguing and get to the wedding so we can save Gwen from being killed and Rhys from beating Jack to death?" Marius pointed out as Ianto said, "He has a point."

"What is it with you?" Jack asked as they all got in, "Ever since Owen died you always agree with him."

"I was brought up never to speak ill of the Dead, even if they still do most of the talking for themselves."

Jack finally agreed, adding in that he hoped Owen was _sure _of himself.

--

Wedding ruined (well, postponed), Marius set about to trying to find the Nostrivite as Jack explained things to Rhys and Gwen, Owen and Ianto searched for Toshiko, and the guests...

Gossiped.

_This is why Sidra weddings aren't this formal,_ Marius thought as he passed by two of Gwen's friends, both talking about the 'hunk' that had arrived to postpone the wedding and he _felt _them stare at his ass. If there was ever a time he wanted to look more like the type who was forgotten against the wall, now was the time.

Marius stopped and glared back at the bridal suite. Of all the times to have too many emotions--

He came up short as he started to pass a woman by, looking at her out of the corner of his eye before heading forward, tapping his earpiece. "Jack...she's still here, and I think things are about to get bad."

"_How bad?_"

"...Bridesmaid heading to find a missing groomsman that was most-likely eaten type of ba--?"  
A scream came from over the comms and through the hall as the wedding guests began to move back in.

"_About that--_" Ianto said as was ordered to contain the situation, Marius hurrying into the room as well to try and help--

"Oh this is just bloody _brilliant._"

--

Chaos theory—anything that can go wrong, will.

So it was with the wedding of Rhys and Gwen, at least at the moment, Marius doing what he could to keep track of the group while also trying to keep track of he Nostrovite as well.

Of course...he'd never figured he'd feel a Singularity Scalpel though a contact either, but things as they were, he wasn't about to let Gwen or Rhys get hurt.

So he was the one who got to fire the gun at the Nostrovite, blinking at he watched her explode and then shaking his head. "You all," he said as Rhys and Gwen blinked at him, Gwen recovering and smiling, "are going to get me killed one day. And if not, you're all going to need extensive therapy."  
"What took you so long?" Rhys asked finally.

"I was hoping you wouldn't run out of gas," Marius said as he walked over, smiling at Rhys and helping Gwen up. "Now can we get on with the wedding? I've never seen a human one before."

--

As far as sap and love went, he enjoyed it, helping Ianto with the DJ job as the champagne was opened and he cast his fellow Torchwood employee a look.

"What?"

They looked back over to the dance floor as Jack went to dance with Gwen. Ianto quickly drank a glass and Marius said, "It's more like a father giving away a daughter."

"Is it?"

Marius looked over at him and Ianto sighed. "So now what?"

"Rhys loves Gwen. Gwen loves Rhys. You love Jack. Jack loves you. Go and cut in. Gwen needs to sit, after everything." He smiled, "I'll keep the songs going."

Ianto gave over his job, heading to the floor and going to Jack, the two closer then any others while Marius worked for a little while before joining the table and waiting as the as the rest of the guests went to sleep, having been Retconned and now, with Gwen and Rhys off for a honeymoon, the Torchwood group had a cleanup to take care of.

"That's what I love about this job," Ianto said, "By day, chasing the scum of the universe. By night, we're the Wedding Fairy."

Marius shook his head, going to help with cleanup as well as he looked down at the still-stuck band and sighed. He was feeling too much at home here...if they let him back, how could he stay away?

--

"Are you done sulking?"

Ianto looked up from his drink, despite the early hour. He had gone to his flat instead of following Jack back to the Hub, saying he had a headache and wanted to sleep. Marius, still up in the air when it came to flats and where to stay, was currently crashing on his couch and made any sort of sex in the general area impossible.

"I'm not sulking."

"Then you're drunk, but whatever it is, you'd best stop it," Marius sat down, holding a glass of orange juice in his hand.

"He loves her...more then me."

Marius waited.

"You're not saying anything."

"Despite the fact that we're connected fairly well, I'm waiting to listen to this before I give my opinion. Are you going to tell me or do I have to go in and rummage around?"

Ianto glared at him, taking a longer drink. "You're worse then Owen is...was...is..."

Marius sighed, looking over at the dawn light that was filtering in through the windows. "I will call Avery down on you."

"I don't need him to tell me that Jack's in love with Gwen. It's written all over. I...I just...I wanted _something_, and...and now he would've taken her if--" Ianto tried to shake his head and clear away the tears but that didn't seem to work out as well as he hoped.

Marius once more waited before telling Ianto, "I know."

"So what do I do?"

"He doesn't want Gwen. Gwen reminds him of a few people wrapped in one, and Gwen happens to like him as well. The two aren't like parents to you group, they're more like the official ones, the ones who will forever stay. You're one of them as well."

Ianto looked at him with disbelieving eyes and Marius took a long drink of his own, healthier alternative before saying, "Jack once was married."

"What?"

"When he first arrived back, before he knew that he would be immortal, he married. He decided he wanted his children to carry on the legacy he would've had, find the Doctor, and tell him what he felt. He even moved her to Cardiff when there was an accident."

Ianto waited, and Marius finished it, "There was a fight. Someone shot her, and when he went to attack, he got shot as well. He woke up, and scared the poor coffin maker to death when he did. After that, he found the guy and got his revenge, but he never forgave himself for losing her. So he continued to Cardiff and started drinking, waiting for the Doctor to get there so he could get it explained to him, as he continually died but always woke up, always returned to being alive. He was somewhere between wanting to find the Doctor and kiss him, and wanting to beat the Doctor into the ground. He almost had to do both to get him to explain what he was."

Ianto sighed. "What?"

"He's a Fact. No matter what happens, he'll be alive forever or until his final mission is completed. After that he'll die forever, never wake up."

Ianto looked down. "I won't be there, will I?"

Marius looked over at his Hub. "The only one there will be me. I'll know, I'll feel it."

"And?"

"And I can't tell you how much it hurt when he was dead for a week," Marius said, "but I will tell you that if I could preserved you and him, somehow, I would. He's never loved anyone, never cared for anyone, like he does for you."

"I'm just a stray."

"You're more then that," Marius told him, rubbing his shoulder, "trust me."

He finally nodded, dropping his head to the table, exhausted before Marius moved to take care of him.

--

"_Is he okay?_"

"He's depressed. You need to open up to him more."

"_I--_"

"I told him _some _of your past so he'd move along, but that doesn't change the fact that he still feels like a stray. I found something that will work for now as a flat, and in the meantime I'd like you to come over and take care of him. You can't say no either, I know what the rotation is."

A pause on the other line, "_And if I don't come by?_"  
"I'll sick Avery on you."

"_Ouch...big guns. Must be serious._" Jack paused, "_I'll be there in a few minutes. Anything specific, or imagination go wild?_"

"Leave the doors to my mind _closed_, that's all I ask."

"_What about your friends, the other Sidra walkin' around? I saw that lady from before looking peeved._"

Marius paused himself at that. "I can take care of myself, Jack. You take care of Ianto."

--

Happily for everyone, it seemed that Marius' suggestion had worked well enough to heal the small rift between Ianto and Jack, to the point where even Gwen commented briefly on it to Marius before things went back to normal.

As normal as Torchwood could be, of course. There was still the fact that he had noticed Yvenda and some of the other Field Agents watching over the group, but it was from afar and none of them were bothering them. He was fine with that.

_--_

_Memo from the Office of Earth-Human Relations_

_Subject: Caretaker Marius of the Rift, Earth, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom_

_After various field tests were conducted and data gathered by Field Agents Yvenda, Alan, Denise and Zachery of the Earth-Human office, it is our conclusion that Caretaker Marius cannot continue with his duties as Caretaker of the Rift, Earth. His emotional and mental attachment to his Clients makes it unsuitable for him to be parted from the area for extended periods of time, as well as makes him unsuitable for work observing. Due to his heightened part in the goings-on of his Clients, the following actions are suggested after his dismissal as Caretaker:_

_One: It is recommended he be given a position of Field Agent and serve within Torchwood, so as to better monitor the Rift and his Clients.--Field Agent Denise_

_Two: It is recommended that he be removed from the field and placed under psychiatric evaluation due to having what is titled an 'accidental Hub' that does not seem to operate as such.--Field Agent Alan_

_Three: It is recommended he is removed from the field and placed in the hands of Enforcement pending an investigation into various matters and incidents involving himself as his 'accidental Hub'.--Field Agent Zachary_

_Four: It is recommended the 'accidental Hub' be destroyed in order to facilitate the re-entry of Marius into another job, as long as the functional, traditional Hub remains in place.--Field Agent Yvenda__ (Removed by Earth-Human Office officials due to complications of 'removal' of any Connections or Hubs within a Seidra-family line member.)_

_End Memo_

--

"Did either of you hear that?" Jack's random comment made Toshiko look up, Marius reclining on the couch, looking over only briefly before rolling over and ignoring the question.

"No."

A few questions before the question of where Ianto was, since he would know.

"He took Owen and Gwen to the Electro," Marius said, "There's some Rift activity there, but he's mainly there for the nostalgia."

"Oh?"

"Well, he _is _dating you..."

Jack sent him a glare. "Very funny."

--

The rain soaked through his coat, though he didn't really care. The memories of coming there with his father, of seeing all those old films when it had been opened, were coming back as they walked in, the warmth covering them more then the rain had as they were met by one of the people hosting the event, Ianto commenting about how he used to go there to watch the Saturday kiddie flicks, not really noting Gwen or Owen's side-comments about popcorn or educational nature of the Electro.

_That's right...it's a museum now..._

He hated how these things changed. Ianto enjoyed change to a degree, like anyone else, but he also liked to have the old and the new.

_Like Jack..._He stopped his thought, instead taking the seat near the back as the owners came up, giving a speech while the small grouping of people watched the film before the images of Hope Street and old Cardiff changed to that of a small circus.

"Recognize any of your dead relatives there, Gwen?" Owen asked, loud enough to be disruptive while Gwen laughed, and laughed again at another joke Owen made about a woman with a hulu hoop.

"Would you two be quiet?" Ianto said, annoyed. What had he thought, bringing them here? Maybe next time he wanted to check on something he'd ask Marius.

"Where's Hope Street gone?" Gwen asked as the film of the circus performance began again, slowly reeling through the same same pictures again and again before--

"WAIT!"

"What?"

"I just saw Jack..."

Jack, larger then life, stood briefly on a stage, a grouping of people around him as he held a gun to his head and then under his chin and pulled the trigger--

The film ended, Owen and Gwen leaving quickly while Ianto was more reluctant to do so, slowly standing and gathering his coat, looking at the screen like it could tell him what he had seen was real.

_What about him? His imagination is good._

_Leave him. It's too soon._

A dark touch, a whisper, and Ianto turned quickly to see two shadows, almost brushing past him, before they were gone and he was alone in the cinema.

_**Ianto?**_

_Marius?_

_**What happened?**_

_I...I don't know. Something in the film._

_**Jack's on his way. But something hit you, Ianto. It felt...**_

_...like something from the past...something that shouldn't be there._

A mental nod. _**Be careful. They touched you, and hopefully they won't come back for more, whoever **_**they **_**are.**_

Jack walked in, asking Ianto what he had seen that would make him stay, Ianto telling him as he continued to scan the area, feeling frozen in that place, the only thing keeping him in time being Jack and Marius, in their own odd ways.

Jack had heard the music of the traveling show...Ianto had seen the beauty of it...Marius could feel the age that the people inside felt.

Jack left to check on something while Ianto paused only long enough to finally follow him up to where the kid who did the film, speaking to him about the incident before Toshiko called in.

Something had happened.

--

"He was part of the freak show."

"Some things never change."

"Are you being rude to me?"

Marius looked up as Jack seemed to piece it as a group called the Night Travelers, a group that only performed at night and was supposed to be a ghost story, a group of travelers that came from 'out of the rain' and then left a trail of damage and sorrow.

Marius, Ianto and Toshiko stayed behind before both Ianto and Marius noticed it.

There was something very odd...something wrong...missing--

"Jack!" Ianto yelled, Marius standing next to her as they watched, trying with his own powers before realizing what it was.

"Are you saying that people from a piece of film have just decided to go AWOL?" Toshiko asked.

"That's exactly what happened," Marius muttered as the group looked at him, Marius blinking before saying, "There's...traces of who they were, within the film, for the group. Two of the traces are gone, which leaves only what was behind them. Like they were never there."

"We need to find them, or witnesses to them. Gwen, Owen, check records, see what you can find."

"How far back do you want us to go?" Gwen asked.

"As far back as you can. Toshiko, I need you to see if you can establish a trace, find a pattern to where they might be. Marius, try to get a connection or two up with your fellow Sidra, see if they can tell us anything. Ianto, with me, I'll need your local knowledge."

"Oh," Gwen muttered as they all started to leave and do their duty, "is that what you call it now?"

--

"You know," Denise said as she sat in the small area, eating the chips and offering Marius a bit, which he declined, "you've already been put up for dismissal. They're just trying to find a suitable replacement for you now."

Marius nodded. "I got a memo about it. Yvenda seems to enjoy rubbing these things in my face."

"Have you told them?"

Marius looked off to the side, sipping on the soft drink he'd ordered. "No. There's no need to. If I am replaced, then I can just say they're helping me to get home. If I'm exiled here...well, I can be part of the team and not worry about extra reports."

Denise sighed. "They're not going to make this easy for you. Your cousin..."

"My cousin is an idiot, and so is the rest of my family." Marius stood, laying down a few pounds. "I got it. Thanks for the help, Denise."

"Sorry I couldn't be more help, but no one is ever given a full version of the Night Travelers except their Caseworker, and he's clammed up about it."

Marius nodded, heading outside before seeing the SUV pull up, Jack motioning for him to come in. "Well?"

"Nothing. They don't have a Field Agent and the Caseworker isn't about to give us anything."

"Ah, well then lucky us we found our first witness."

Marius was silent as they drove to the psychiatric hospital, Ianto leading the way and causing Jack, shortly after they arrived, to look over at Marius with a questioning gaze. Marius returned it with an 'ask him yourself' gaze as they went to meet with the lady, asking her about the group as they took her for a small stroll around the compound.

"They came from out of the rain," she told them, "at night...came to the village."

"How old were you at the time?" Ianto asked.

"Just a child...five or six. Are you visiting someone?"

Jack laughed, telling the old woman, "Christina, we've come to see you."

"No one ever comes to see me."

Marius gave her a warm smile as the trio sat, Christina looking over Jack before saying, "Your eyes are older then your face."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes." the blunt statement seemed to shake Jack, especially as Christina told him it meant he didn't belong, that he came from 'nowhere'.

Jack and Ianto asked about who traveled within the group, the old woman telling them what she could before looking at Ianto then saying, "They touched you."

"What?"

"They touched, I can sense it. They touched you as they passed you by." Her gaze turned to Marius, "and...you're connected...to the both of them."

"What about the man, Christina?" Marius recovered the quickest, "Could you tell us about the man?"

Christina did, telling them that the man was the 'Ghost Maker' and described the silver flask the man had pulled out, though never gotten a chance to use. It turned out her mother and father, instead, had been turned into ghosts.

--

Gwen and Owen's reports, followed up by call from the boy that had been at the Electro, caused both Ianto, Jack and Marius to head forward, Marius staying near the boy and hoping nothing would happen to either him or Ianto. Jack...well, he wasn't sure about, but he knew that Jack might be able to protect himself, even from a man who could steal breaths.

They found no one there, but it only took a minute to realize the duo that had escaped were heading back to the Electro, and there to get friends.

Of course, the smell, the feel, and the fact they had been on film for 80 years said they were now _part _of the film, and Jack had a brilliant idea.

--

The group hurried in, finding the owners of the Electro frozen, and when the film started Gwen was forced to drag the boy out, Owen going up to check on the person upstairs while Jack, Ianto and Marius stayed, the trio ducking as Jack began to film those were coming out, sneaking out when the last of them arrived, Jack filming before Gwen, Ianto and Marius found the Ghost Maker.

"The flask!"

Gwen's attempt to retrieve it luckily allowed Ianto to grab it, he and Marius taking off out of the Electro and down Hope Street, then down a side alley in the hopes the man wouldn't notice them, Marius starting to head up the stairs when he felt and heard Ianto scream from the Ghost Maker's touch.

Marius turned, hitting the ghost and grabbing the flask, pulling Ianto down the stairs as the man stood, glaring at Marius, who had put himself between Ianto and the Ghost Maker.

"He's mine anyway. That I didn't take his breath the moment I left, he should be so grateful," the Ghost Maker told Marius, his voice hypnotic in it's own way.

"Leave him alone," Marius growled back, holding on the flask tightly.

"Oh, I plan to leave him alone for a while, but eventually he, and you, will be part of us."

The movement was too quick, even for Marius, who threw out a psychic barrier to stumble the man only to find himself tumble backwards, the flask once more grabbed by the man as he raced further up the stairs, Jack and Gwen arriving as he unclogged the flask and threw it.

"No!" Ianto yelled, not knowing where he was getting the information that let him _know _how the flask worked, but knowing the breaths that were leaving it would cause each person to die...

Jack pulled out the film, the man disappearing from the exposure while Ianto caught the bottle, using his hand as a stopper and holding it up to listen before saying, "One...I think we were only able to save one...I can hear it Jack...I heard it...something inside trying to call out to me."

Marius went over, Gwen and Jack taking the flask while Marius touched Ianto, looking inside and--

_**There...I see it.**_

_What?_

_**Where he touched you...**_ Marius frowned. "It won't close up until we give back that last breath."

Jack and Ianto nodded, heading to the hospital while Marius looked down then said, "I'll be back at the Hub. I need to talk to someone." Gwen looked over and nodded, heading over to speak with Toshiko and Owen about what had happened.

He walked only partly down the street before saying, "Hippolyta."

The woman leaned against the wall, glaring at him. "What were you thinking?"

"You'll need to be more specific, Hippolyta, it's been a long couple of days."

She stood quickly, walking up and glaring at him, "Don't you talk to me like that!"

Marius glared at her. "I don't recall getting any help from you when I was disowned, so I think I can talk to you however I want, _sis._"

Hippolyta, Marius' younger sister, turned away and paced before saying, "What's so special about that one? I know Yvenda talked to you about what--."

"She did, and I gave her my answer."

"You're being annoying. You know as well as I do the fact that Hubs are a nuisance, a crutch. This one in particular is more then your average crutch too...if you keep hold of him at one point you're going to have to come to terms with him dying."

"I know that too."

"So why not just do it? Why wait here? The minute you're back there won't _be _a connection to him. You'll be free!"

Marius leaned against the wall, then told her, "I felt one of them die already, I'm not about to have another one go through it."

"You're too sentimental. A Caseworker--."

"I know," Marius growled, reigning in his temper before saying, "What he suggested is impractical too. There's no way it can happen without some strain or obvious affect on me. I'm not going to try it just because _he _said it would work."

Hippolyta frowned at him. "You listened to him before. He's your favorite cousin."

"He was. Last I checked, he was the one who told our parents what happened, and who also got me into the same room as most of the family shortly after that." Marius knew it was one of the few memories he had tried to not give or share with Ianto: being kicked out of your own family was one thing for a Human, but for a Sidra? The Seidra family line always had close relationships, often only creating a mild connection with their loved ones if they felt it was right or agreed upon. Marius had broken a rule that his own family had passed on due to what Ulamo had done, and what the death of the final Hub had done, to one Sidra. That Marius had five, one that was more then a Hub (even if he mislabeled it as 'accidental' half the time) and the other who was immortal...

"You shouldn't have let it happen."

"I had to protect my Client."

"And now your Clients have caused _this _to happen. If it weren't for them, you'd still be working, still be a Caseworker instead of on probation until a new one is found, and not only that, you'd still be Marius. Those weirdos have pulled you down, and you feel you should _defend _them? If it hadn't been for them, that bastard never would've had you, or even--."  
Marius hit her before he could stop himself, making her step back in shock, holding a hand to her cheek while he breathed heavily, trying to hold in that sudden anger.

"Don't you blame them for what happened to me. I made my choice, and I got burned for it. They saved my life, and took care of me when they didn't have to. Now get out of my sight. I only stood here for this long because we're blood, but I doubt that's the reason you're here."

"Kill him," she growled, "get it over with and come home. That's all you have to do, and you're family again."

There was a longer pause, mostly because she was looking down at his fist that had curled, while Marius was internally debating on how wise it would be to hit his sister.

"I'm not your family anymore. Now _get out._"


	20. The Other Men

**Nineteen: **The Other Men

PC Andy _hated _Gwen Cooper, and if he kept this up long enough he might even believe it himself. That he had trusted her and she had—damn it, he _hated her._

"Andy," the voice caused him to turn, blinking upon seeing one of the Torchwood group standing near him, though truthfully he didn't know who it was. The man was about as tall as he was, maybe taller, and had light brown hair and dark blue eyes, a plain jacket and jeans on, his hands in his pocket.

"What do you want?" Andy asked.

"I wanted you to stop being a prat, but that's a little hard when what's happened has happened."

"What?"  
"Gwen stood you up, got married, then told you she would never let you into Torchwood. On top of that...you still have feeling for her, wish she'd have dumped Rhys when you admitted to liking her, and also want her back as your partner. You wanted her because you love her for all that she was, and she doesn't seem to realize that."

Andy glared at the man. "Who are you?"

"My name's Marius," the young man told him, "and I know exactly how you feel."

--

"Three years ago?"

Andy wondered how he had gotten into the pub with this man, talking. It wasn't really talking either. Marius was from bloody Torchwood, of course he would--.

"I didn't know."

Andy looked at him sharply, causing Marius to smile before a small voice said, _Alien, psychic._

"Brilliant."

Marius laughed. "That's close the full extent of what I can do now. I have a...restraint."

"What, because you were bad?"

Marius quickly downed his glass of water. "No. Because I got caught by someone who was bad. The worst, maybe, and he didn't need me leaving so he trapped me in this form, and here. Until it decides to malfunction and come off, I'm stuck with it."

Andy looked at him dubiously before asking, "And you?"

"A year or two. I even kissed her, gave her tea and cookies when she was down. Granted, she's divorced now, and probably enjoying it, but..." he sighed. "It's not that I couldn't compete with the guy, I probably could, but she's now just the one that got away, not the one for me. If I measure every girl up against her, then...well...it'd be like I was just waiting for her. I'm not going to do that to her or myself."

"So what happened? I know she got interested, but..."

--

_Earlier that week_

Marius was ignoring the whole of the conversation, in fact not even wanting to be part of it until he felt something from Gwen, a type of conflict before she had left. He waited, asking as she left if she'd like some company to that Searchlight business.

"No, fine, thanks though Marius."

Marius nodded, sitting back down and turning over when Gwen came back, full of energy.

At that, and her start of research, he left heading away from the Hub. It wasn't that he didn't care, but more that he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with it all right now. He only came back for Gwen's report...

--

"Why didn't you help?" Andy asked.

"I had other things on my mind."

"Like?" Andy watched Marius look down before he heard him say it.

"I'm technically not going to be their Caretaker soon. When a new one is found, I'll be taken back and more then likely put into a psychiatric ward."

"Why?" Andy didn't realize things would be that severe with this alien race.

"Because they feel that a connection I made with one of the Torchwood personnel is more then what it should be, and they want to study it. I can't tell them that because then they'll try and call in a favor from a few people, and I don't need them being involved either."

"Would they know?"  
"Not unless they were told."

"So what happened at the meeting?" Andy finally asked after a long pause.

--

_Earlier that week_

Ianto knew that Marius was being closed off; he had been ever since they had stopped the Night Travelers and Marius had gone off to do something else. Ianto had attempted to help, but it had been met with simply the occasional 'go away' through their connection, or even a verbal one.

So Ianto didn't know what was bothering Marius, but he did know that it wouldn't affect Jack or him, as Marius wouldn't let it. That connection seemed very one-way, something Ianto wished wouldn't happen but that Marius _insisted _on keeping despite all that had happened.

So Jack shouldn't be so angry at Gwen for being herself and worrying, looking into nearly seventy people that had gone missing during a Rift spike. Jack shouldn't be acting like this towards Gwen at all.

Ianto tried to calm Jack down when he stormed out, but it hadn't worked. He only noticed Gwen and Marius being the only two in there, then he felt Marius' vague touch after Jack left him in the hallway.

_Find out what Jack knows. I'll deal with Gwen._

_**How?**_

_Quietly._

_**...why?**_

There was a long pause in this before Marius made eye-contact and said to him, _So she can know, and figure out what to do. She's being directed in a sense between two forces, and the longer it goes on the more likely she'll tear herself apart or get herself killed. I'm not feeling that again, or having you all go through that. She needs to find this out, Ianto._

Ianto didn't nod or acknowledge Marius before turning, his mind telling the Sidra, _**I'll see what I can do.**_

--

"You can be devious."

"You started it."

Andy sputtered in his drink. "What the bloody hell--"

"You didn't come to her for seven months, instead you waited until she was married to tell her. On top of that, you tell her she's changed and she's harder, that she used to care about people, and that the others don't matter beyond Jonah. To her, they matter. She's too empathic for that to not happen. And Torchwood didn't make her harder, Andy...life did. Life beat at her, made her realize things she never would've, and you threw that in her face like a challenge. You knew she'd take it, and now you're mad she did."

Marius took a long drink before stating, "I'm only partly guilty of that too. I pushed the wrong button on the person I cared for, and in the end she left and nearly got killed. I didn't know what I'd do without her, until I saw her again. She traded her freedom for another scar on her soul, and she'll be the first to not blame it on me, as much as I might try to convince her otherwise."

Andy was silent a long moment before asking, "What did Rhys do about it all? Eat?"

"He gave her a lecture about work vs life, and it somewhat helped her out. He's there to listen to her, as much as he might not like Torchwood for all the danger it gets her in. He also realizes she changes, but he knows when she needs to get a verbal hit in the face to deal with things."

"So?"

--

_Earlier that week_

"They're busy," Marius' voice made Gwen jump, looking back up at where the two shadows where in the darkened Hub.

"Doing what?"

Marius looked at her, and Gwen looked back only briefly before saying, "oh."

He held up a small bag. "Ianto left you a gift, though."

She walked over, opening it up. "What is it?"

"I didn't ask."

That wasn't like Marius at all...he knew everything about what they were doing, asking or not.

"Marius, what's wrong? You've been off for most of the week."

He looked over at her then back to the computer screen. "I'm behind on a report, and got a nasty-gram about it. Plus it's just..." he sighed. "Nothing. How're things with the missing person case?"

"I was going to ask Jack if I could make it a side-project."

Marius frowned, then shook his head. "He'll say no."

"But..."

"Trust me."

She frowned at him before saying, "Do you want to come with me?"  
"I need to finish this."

"What, with them up there?"

"I play guard dog. They don't even know we're here. I'd like it to stay that way until the CCTV footage is watched."

"Which will be?"

"About five days from now. Get going, Gwen. I have to finish this."

With a nod, and a mental note on seeing if Ianto knew what was wrong with Marius, Gwen headed out to see what the present was and where it lead to.

--

"So you declined the offer?"

"You took it up quick enough."

"I wanted in. I wanted to--."

"I'm psychic, remember? I know what you wanted."

Andy glared at Marius, who told him, "You wanted Gwen as a partner again. You wanted to keep her safe, and to see what it was that she saw. She told you later on she wouldn't put you in for Torchwood."

Anger flared in Andy again. "She did."

"I wouldn't either. You're too good a PC to be in Torchwood, and you mean too much for her. If you died, she'd blame you, like Jack blames everyone else. Plus..." Marius paused before adding in, "Gwen came in because she had something, something beyond what most normal people have. You don't have enough of it to help them beyond a liaison to the police and to help her how you can." He looked over before adding in, "If she's Batman, or at least Batgirl, you're Detective Gordon."

"Thanks."

"Gordon helps out more then you can think. Without him, without the others, Batman and his group would push too much, become too much like the criminals they're going after. Gordon is their tie to normal life, like you and Rhys are her ties."

"Only Rhys is larger."

"Stop being mean to the man."

"Why?"

"Because he's nice and he knows you lust after his wife but he puts up with it because he knows you're a good man. Now stop."

"She left me alone."

"Because of you and her decision, Rhys put her on the couch. Jack got annoyed beyond normal with her, and Ianto and I had to go behind his back to find it. Of course, Jack figured that out."

"And she found it, though."

"She did."

"And?"

Marius took a quick drink before saying, "And she sees why Jack tried to keep her from it. Sees why no one can find out."

"So?"

Marius downed his water again before telling Andy, "I have a favor to ask."

--

Despite knowing where he son was, she still had Searchlight up. Not for him, but because Marius had come to her, with Gwen, and spoken to her. Shown her what he could do and spoken to her about Retcon, explained it.

She had declined the Retcon, but asked for his help in dealing with it. Marius had agreed, only if he could talk with the others.

He had talked with Jack, then gone to the island.

Andy stood outside, waiting. The young man had looked worse for wear when he walked in, telling Andy to stay outside and, if anyone yelled for a doctor because of Marius, to call a certain number.

Andy waited, wondering what it was he wasn't being allowed to see, not being able to hear what it was that was going on, until the doors opened.

All the family's walked out, a few looking dazzled and downing a cup of something while others clung to each other for support. A few talked and finally left.

Everyone gone, Andy grew worried before hurrying inside, finding the whole of the room in minor disarray, Marius sitting hunched-over on a chair nearby, Jonah's mother rubbing his back as he sobbed.

"Should I call the doctor you asked for?" Andy asked.

"No," Marius said, "I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

Marius looked over at Andy--

--_He offered. He wanted to offer it to her, wanted her to not be alone, even with that sonic rifle and everything he had seen. She might need help one day, the way her Client moved..._

"_Thanks, but no thanks."_

_That didn't stop him from helping her when he was thrown with the job she should've had and no one telling her why, moving mainly paper to put the blame rightfully on the world and Torchwood of that world where the Cybermen had come from, then taking easily over as Caretaker of the Rift, realizing how much he missed her when he saw her again, hiding because of what had happened, because--_

_--__**And they still loved them...for everything...**_--

Andy moved back as Marius let out a long sigh and stood up, holding the chair and Jonah's mother for support. "Sorry."

"I...I didn't..."

"Andy," Marius said, "we'll always be just the other ones in their lives. We need to move on."

Andy felt his shoulder's slump. "I can never be in Torchwood then?"

Marius shrugged. "Maybe one day, but not now. You need to work on being yourself before you can be around her again."

--

Jack walked up to where Marius sat before saying, "I saw the footage."

Marius didn't answer.

"Who do they want you to kill?"

Marius didn't answer.

"Marius..."

"I can't tell you," he finally answered, "because it's not going to happen. I'm not about to endanger anyone's lives because my cousin thinks I should."

"You said you were disowned from your family because of us."

Marius fell silent again, looking away.

Jack moved then said, "If you don't explain this to us, we can't help you."

"There's nothing to explain."

"She said you were being replaced."

"I am," he told him, "but it's still up in the air where they'll place me. Because of the connections..."

"That's bullshit and you know it."

Marius stood suddenly, glaring at Jack, "You'd know all about it, wouldn't you? You keep enough secrets from them because you think it'll keep them safe when it doesn't. I have a right to my secrets!"

"Why? What makes yours so much better then mine, so much safer?"

"They only harm me!"

Jack was silent for a longer time, a good amount of items clicking into place. Ianto had mentioned that Marius tended to have a one-way link to the group, when Ianto knew it could easily go both ways. A minor check with his own had confirmed that. Gwen had mentioned Marius aversion to everything, and that he had said he was working on a report when she got the tracker from him. A check on CCTV as well as on the computers told Jack that Marius hadn't submitted reports for nearly a month, and between talking to his sister and now, Marius was in only a few places: the Hub, on assignment, or in his flat.

The one time Marius had gone out on his own, had gone to talk with anyone else, was after Gwen had taken Nicki to see her son. He had gone over and spoken to Andy, Gwen's old partner, and arranged a meeting with Nicki and her group. With enough Retcon and after a visit to the island, something Jack had been exceptionally wary about considering Marius mercurial control of his powers at times, he had gone in and shown everyone where some of the loved ones were and had been. What Jack was doing to help them, what Gwen was trying to add in as well.

And in the end, the fact of the matter: none of them could come home or be fully repaired. After that, he had offered them Retcon, along with offering to help out if they needed him during the Searchlight meetings.

A few had taken it. The rest had joined, some waiting for news, the others comforting and doing what they could to see about finding and helping others. One or two had managed to contact Jack, offering to help as caretakers or psychiatrists to the walking wounded, most with great credentials. Even after explaining things, even after seeing it, they didn't back down, and Jack took them on as members of the small community.

"Why should you be the only one hurt?"

Jack's question obviously caught Marius off-guard, making the younger man look at him quickly before looking away.

"I won't let any of you be hurt. I can't allow it."

Jack remembered a long scar on Marius' back that had not been caused by a whip, or anything else Ulamo had tried on the young man. Avery told him that he had only barely made it before the Torchwood group, marked for death by the Master, had been attacked. The only one injured had been Marius.

Despite being able to change bodies, Marius had kept that one, and the scar, as if it was a badge. He'd probably stay in that one as well because it was the one they were used to.

And if that was so...

"I know how you feel, but you can't keep these things to yourself. They might hurt us anyway."

Marius was silent again before telling Jack, "No, they won't. I won't let them. I'm sorry, Jack. I can't tell you."

Jack backed off, leaving the room and sighing. Maybe he should've sent in Ianto...

...but that probably wouldn't work either. Ianto and Marius were close, like twin brothers, but the two had their secrets it seemed.

"Jack," Ianto's voice made him stop. "Did you try to talk to Marius?"

Jack looked at Ianto, confused. "Why?"

"I...it was like a small headache. I didn't realize it was because of you talking to him until a minute ago."

Jack frowned, heading over to Ianto's side. "What's wrong?"

"I...he's just sad. He's worried about leaving, but he's sure we'll be fine. He wants to make sure of that. He's also scared."

"Why?"

"Something that's been coming up for a while. He's scared that his cousin will do something, try to force him into something. He's going to fight it as long as possible, but..." Ianto shook his head. "I don't know what will happen."

Jack touched Ianto's arm. "I don't either. But we'll help him."


	21. Exit Wounds

**Twenty: **Exit Wounds

_Over a Year Ago_

"What do you mean, 'it was an accident?'"

"There's some part of that you don't understand, Mextli? It. Was. An. Accident. I didn't mean to have him get hit by a rifle butt, or that I was protecting him and he happened to create connections with everyone, I don't know why!" Marius sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "Listen, I just need a friend, and I need you to not tell my parents just yet, not until I've looked into it further. The group's out for a little while, so I don't need to worry about them being overly-active or sappy about anything...unless you count the two currently engaging in an affair and I didn't need that image in my mind..."

Mextli looked at his cousin with concern. Mextli was younger but only by a few years, making him and Marius close. Unlike Marius, though, he had gone into Enforcement, and held up the rules that had been set after Tristian's death because of Ulamo and the final Hub dying.

No Hubs, connections, or anything of the sort. The family was adamant about it, and his favorite cousin had just broken that rule.

"I'll do my best, but Marius, this is dangerous! You know--."

"I know. I've heard it all my life, so yes, I know. But I can't cut them loose."

"You could...I mean, sure it would be a minor discomfort."

"I talked to the one in the psychiatric ward. 'Mild' is not the word for it, and he only had a minor connection to that Human when they put her on the pyre. He can't stand light now, never mind fire."

"Still--."

"I'm not going to kill Torchwood just so I can get rid of them! Besides, one of them _can't die_. He dies, then he wakes up again! That's going to be a pain in a half when it happens, I know it."

Mextli nodded, his own longer, dark brown hair tied back in a small ponytail. Mextli had taken most of his looks from some rugged action hero that Earth Humans enjoyed watching, though he was well-cut and didn't look like he had just been in a jungle for years or whatever the premise had been at the time. He had liked Marius' old look before this one, and still seemed to dislike it. Marius had the idea it was because, like most Enforcers (and Sidra in general), they felt Marius was being influenced by the bad egg called Lilith, Curator of the Time Lords.

"I mean it, Mextli. They can't know."

Mextli held up his hand, "I promise, I won't tell them."

--

Having the group as connections, even with an Immortal Hub and another...accidental...Hub like Ianto Jones, Marius knew that they were in desperate need of therapy. He knew this before, of course, but Toshiko's dalliance into a homosexual relationship with what later became an alien that enjoyed ripping hearts out of people's chests just to keep the human body she was inhabiting alive...well...

Things got awkward.

With another grateful sigh at having finished the paperwork, Marius stood up, checking his messages briefly as he paced and frowning at the one he had gotten from his cousin. Mextli hadn't really spoken to him for a week, not after Marius had confessed to him what happened, as well as made him promise not to tell anyone else. On top of that, Marius had looked into the business of connections and found, like he and his family had known for a very long time, there was no way to break them without massive trauma to both sides. He had kept his one-way, though with Ianto's that had caused him a small amount of trouble doing it, but even with that, the other side would feel it unless they were dying, which was the most common way a connection between a Seidra line and a Client was broken.

Marius looked again at the letter. Mextli said he needed to talk to him about something. What could it be? Whatever it was, it was important enough that he had bothered to talk to him about it, and that he had even made a minor mention of 'finding a way that wouldn't hurt'. Marius sighed.

_Trust him to get a one-track mind on the matter._

With another glance back to make sure all of his work was done, and to see that it was time for him to get off of work anyway, Marius headed to see what his cousin would want.

--

"What's the big, urgent thing you wanted to talk to me about?" Marius frowned as they walked into the room, looking around as Mextli said, "Just about...you know..."

"No, you left me a message. Seriously, what is this about?"

Mextli smiled. "I found a way to break those connections you have!"

"You mean aside from killing or a good amount of psychological trauma? There's no way, Mextli. You and I know that. Everyone knows that."

Mextli waved it off, "But there's got to be a way! I know it. Maybe if we find Seidra..."

"All the way back to Seidra, with all the records we keep, it's been found that only after a connection dies does the connection get broken. I looked it all up, Mex, there's no way to be rid of them."

A familiar voice caused Marius to freeze. "Then you admit that you have a connection?"

Marius felt himself freeze, turning slowly and then closing his eyes when he saw the one who had spoken, as well as the people behind him.

"Hello Dad."

"Marius? Is it true?"

He looked back at Mextli with murder in his eyes. "Yes. Did he tell you?"

"Your cousin did the right thing..."

Marius rounded on his father, "He promised! I was going to tell you in time, when I knew if it was permanent or not, when I knew if I could get rid of it without dealing with being a burden, or in a ward. I told him it in confidence because he was my friend _and _family!"

His mother stepped forward, saying simply, "Mextli did the right thing. He told us, and said you would admit it, in front of us."

"He didn't tell me _you'd _be here. He didn't tell me anything but that it was urgent!"

"He..."

"I don't want to hear it!" Marius yelled, taking a deep breath as Mextli walked over to stand beside his mom and dad. Marius looked over at his dad, waiting. Knowing what would happen next.

"You are no longer our son. Not until you remove these impurities from yourself."

"I won't kill them."

"If that's the only way, then that is what you must do."

"I won't."

"Then I don't have a son named Marius, and you are not part of this family anymore."

They all turned, Marius stumbling as he _felt _the push away from all that had been--

--

"Marius!"

He awoke with a start, his arm hurting and his head spinning, though he was able to steady himself when he saw Gwen and Rhys.

"What's wrong?"

"Someone...hit me...the others are inside..."

He looked up and cursed upon seeing the small amount of damage shown from the outside, though it was obvious the inside had been blown all to hell. The four signs had been explosives...and...

Marius came up short, looking down at the arm band where a new symbol glowed, almost above the band so it wasn't part of it, and then he realized what that feeling was.

"Marius?"

"I...something marked me. I can't feel my connection to you all."

"WHAT?" Gwen asked, looking at him as he attempted to use his power, reaching out to the easiest one, only to bend over, holding his head against the pain. "I can't get through. I can't use any of it..." Marius shuddered, wondering if this lonely feeling was how all Humans felt before looking up at Gwen, standing straight. "I can't feel them, but everything else works. Come on, let's find them."

--

Jack was easy to find, but not as easy to dig out of the rubble that had buried him and taken one of his lives. Jack woke up, scaring Rhys who had checked for a pulse and found none.

"What's he doing here?"

"Lovely words to start off with," Marius said as they moved more of the items off of him.

"Toshiko, she went to the other side..."

Marius nodded, "We'll get her, you hold on okay?"

"No, get her _now..._What's wrong?"

"Someone knocked me out and gave me a new symbol. I can't use my telepathic or telekinetic powers. Now, can we stop the questions and find Toshiko and the others?"

--

Toshiko had been found by Gwen and Rhys, Marius and Jack heading upstairs to search for Ianto and Owen, though the way things were caving in all over the area, Marius refused to split up and search for Owen, instead heading over to see what he could do about getting Ianto out of the rubble before helping to pull him out, not liking the way he shouted as they got him up, Jack helping to put his shoulder back in place while Gwen headed over to find Owen, Marius helping Ianto downstairs as he looked at him oddly.

"You lost it..."

"I know."

"How long?"

Marius looked down at the band and the still-glowing item. "I don't know. But hopefully not long."

They headed over to where Toshiko was, the four helping to remove the larger pillar and happily noting as they got out that building that Owen and Gwen were coming out as well.

"Where's the SUV?"

Marius began to feel himself panic with the others as Jack clicked on his beeping wristband, the leftover of the Time Agency, and out if came the holograph of John Hart.

"_Everything you love, everything you treasure, is going to die...starting now._"

Marius felt himself shiver at the words before he and the others began to move, heading instead for Gwen's car so they could begin to deal with the problems that John could cause. It was problems as well that Gray was there, and now they had three crisis and a few other problems to deal with.

"I'll go with Owen," Marius said, "Help him out. I only wrote up on John, I never dealt with him."

Everyone piled in, cramped and trying to watch Toshiko's broken arm and bruised ribs as they were quickly dropped off in their areas, heading in to find the problems.

--

"They're in."

"Good. I take it you'll deal with Jack?"

A glare. "I've been waiting too long."

A smirk. "Of course. Then I'll deal with the others, as it were. After all, it's their fault he's still here."

--

Not being able to tell how everyone was at a quick check hurt Marius, but he got over it as he moved with Owen to the basement, checking to see what it was.

The alien inside was a Hoix, Owen going in while Marius waited on the other side of the door with the doctor while Owen dealt with it before moving to help him out as they received words from the others that everything was taken care of as the comms opened and John spoke, everyone heading up to their respective rooftops just as explosions rocked the city, hitting around them and causing a sudden realization.

Everyone was going to do what they could, and had to do what they could, but they had no call from Jack.

Marius helped Owen in the hospital, doing what he could to help with the hospital that had no power as he heard the nuclear power plant was crippled, the police unsure...

They would do what they could, and they would pull through this.

They had to.

--

He watched as Gray dealt with Jack, forcing John to help and bury his former lover, hoping that the former Time Agent would allow himself to be blown up, but instead it didn't happen.

A bad end to that day.

Gray headed through the Rift and back to Torchwood, deciding to make things even worse while John disappeared to who-cared-where.

He smiled, heading over to where Gray would be. All he'd have to do is wait for Torchwood to bring him Marius.

Then he would work on getting him back.

--

Marius was sent by Owen to the Hub, stating he could help there more then he could at the hospital, walking in as John stood on the business end of Gwen's gun, speaking about Gray.

Marius didn't need to be psychic to realize the man was speaking the truth, though pulling off the bomb was gross.

"He's telling the truth," Marius told her, walking up and realizing he could be of some help.

John quickly got on the coms, trying to find Jack with the tracer signals as a sound caused them all to wince as Marius realized what this was.

"Ah crap."

--

Of course he'd release the Weevils...but they could still hurt Marius.

That would not do. Maybe he should remind Gray of that...

The arrival of his major nuisance caused him to smile. Never mind that then. He could use the Weevils later, couldn't he?

--

"You did WHAT?"

"Ianto!" Gwen and Marius yelled, Marius pushing his Weevil into the cell before heading out as John yelled, "I didn't have a choice."

"You always have a choice!" Ianto yelled back while they drug in the Weevils and Marius headed over to where the block's trigger for release was as he heard Ianto yell more at John.

"If we don't find him, I'll kill you...very slowly!"

The doors suddenly closed, Marius looking over and silently cursing as he started to go for the controls and felt someone grab him.

"Marius!" Gwen yelled, trying to get to him as his arm was twisted behind him.

"Gwen," John's calm voice made Marius pause as he heard a new voice come in.

"I let you go. I gave you one trip. You could've gone anywhere."

"Question of honor."

"So they keep saying, don't they Marius?" the voice behind him made him freeze as a few pieces fell into place.

"Shall we go to see your Problems?"

"They're not my problems," Marius muttered as he was pulled upward. "What are you doing, Mextli? Do you realize how many codes you're violating?"

"I do what I can for my cousin, Marius, even if you don't. Come on."

Marius was pushed into the aisle as he passed John, looking over at the former Time Agent while Gwen yelled, "Marius!"

"I'm okay," he muttered, looking over at her and hoping that she wouldn't do anything stupid.

"You're far from that," Mextli said, pausing before he smiled. "Well, that's one going down."

Marius moved briefly against the hold, knowing there wasn't anyway for him to get loose. Mextli was built like an action hero and a trained Enforcer that had his full powers. Marius was trapped in one form, his main powers restricted by the band and the other one that overlapped the old one. That didn't mean he still couldn't fight, or try to get away in order to help everyone.

"What did you mean? Hey, what did you mean?" Gwen yelled out as Marius was dragged to the last cell, where Ianto stood near the glass looking out as Mextli forced Marius to stop again.

"This, though, is my biggest Problem, isn't he?" Mextli growled as he finally pushed Marius forward, forcing him to stop at the glass barrier while Ianto nearly moved away. The two exchanged glances before Ianto looked over at Mextli. "What do you want me to do?"

"Ianto!" Gwen and Marius once more voiced their annoyance at the impulsiveness that came up when those Ianto cared for were in danger. Marius winced and was silent when Mextli twisted his wrist a little more.

Ianto looked over at him before back to Mextli, "What do I have to do to make it right, to make you leave us alone?"

Mextli answer came in a growl, "You need to die...to give up your life. If you do that...then I'll exchange your life for the life of the pretty little girl about to die upstairs."

Marius shoved against Mextli, realizing who he meant. "Let me go, don't you dare let her die!"

"I won't, if he does what I say and give up his life," Mextli shoved back roughly, forcing Marius up so he and Ianto were face-to-face. "Who do you value most? Who will you give up?"

There was no hesitation as he muttered, "Neither. Now let me go!" Marius shoved hard, finding himself free as he turned and lashed out, hitting Mextli back while Ianto and Gwen yelled at him, or for him, he wasn't sure.

The right cross floored him, sending him to his knees as he tasted blood in his mouth yet again and then felt himself pushed against the wall to Ianto's cell.

"If you won't rid yourself them, then I'll show you how much they can hurt you, my dear cousin," Mextli said, looking up with anger at Ianto before saying, "I'll show them what they do to you."

"no," Marius muttered before he felt the secondary band removed and a day's worth of mental anguish, hurt, and the feel of a bullet tearing through Toshiko, hit him hard and he hardly had the time to throw up the shields to Gwen before he could--

--

Ianto felt himself hit the ground, his knees aching as he struggled and closed the doorway between himself as Marius, realizing that he had little choice if he wanted to remain sane, or at least because the minute it started, Marius yelled for him to close the door. He felt, briefly, a strange cold through him from another side and the pain of a gut-shot.

_Toshiko, _he thought, realizing she was in trouble and they could hurt her all the more. He saw briefly the Hub, where he was connected in a sense to everyone and where Marius shared his connection, and on one side...a section of wall was burning, slowly being destroyed from the inside and--

He shoved the mental door closed, stumbling to his feet as he looked over to see Mextli watching him, looking down at where Marius lay curled on his side, shaking and trying to stay silent.

"You're one sick fuck, you know that?" John's voice reminded Ianto of where they were, and he continued to glare at the man.

"Give up your insignificant life, and I'll save that girl's. Trade places, and maybe, just maybe, I'll let the others live as well. It's your fault, mainly, but it's theirs as well."

A thought hit him, clearing Ianto's mind quicker then anything else he had ever encountered. "Then it doesn't matter if I agree or not. You'll kill all of us..."

Mextli hit the glass, a telekinetic wave sending Ianto stumbling. "I'll kill you slowly before I even _touch _those other scum. It's because of you that all this is happening, and I will bring my cousin back from this madness."

Everyone suddenly stopped, blinking as a loud, rhythmic banging started. Casting another glare at Ianto, Mextli headed off while John said, "I have an idea."

--

A hand on her shoulder stopped Toshiko's slow advance to where the communicator was, Owen's voice worried and still in her ear.

"You're hurt."

"help me save him. It's going to melt down if I don't."

If Toshiko ever believed in angels, this person had to be one, though her presence felt more like the one Lilith had given off, truthfully. Her hair was snow-white, almost blinding, and her eyes were calm and a cool blue color that seemed to regard her before she nodded, helping Toshiko up as she saw the black outfit the woman wore, a strange wooden practice sword on her hip.

"Who are you?" Toshiko whispered, not wanting Owen to hear as she was helped down to the autopsy room and given a painkiller as well as something to help stop most of the bleeding.

"My name is Tesni. I'm here to help."

--

Mextli growled as he watched Jack release the Problem and the other two, a quick hug for everyone but John as the group headed over to help Marius up. What right did they think they had? Did they really believe they were helping his cousin?

There was a mild touch on his shoulder and he felt himself freeze at it.

"Found you," Tesni's voice was cold and more then a little angry as Mextli started to move forward only to be grabbed, the wooden sword coming down hard on his head as he fell into darkness.

--

Tesni walked over to where the group stood around the dead Toshiko Sato, the monitor on the wall showing the nuclear reactor and where Owen Harper's body had been only a little while ago, but now was gone.

Two in one day, and a city to help rebuild.

Ianto Jones was the first to look at her, obviously worried about Marius from the way he put himself between her and him, Marius partly out of it from the not-sudden but just as violent death that he had experienced.

"I'm not here to take him away," Tesni told the group, taking them all in as she looked at them. John Hart, as he was called, looked warily at her, possibly because she and Mextli wore much the same uniform, though she had a sword with her and he hadn't. Gwen Cooper-Williams also looked at her oddly, a hand on her gun, while Jack Harkness seemed upset at seeing her as well as confused and wary.

_That's right...the first time they encountered this uniform was against Ulamo. Next was with Mextli. I must remember to get a colorful outfit for later dealings with this group._

"Who are you?" Jack Harkness asked, causing her to look at him. She had never dealt with Clients, only with Sidra, so how to introduce herself? She had only told Toshiko Sato a small bit before going off to arrest Mextli for his interference in this group, as well as his illegal usage of a Chronometrics restraint on his own cousin.

Direct worked, so she straightened a little before saying, "My name is Tesni, of the Kalea line. I came here to deal with Mextli, and to assess if his interference caused undo harm upon the group as well as changed the outcome of events."

Gwen Cooper-William's eyes narrowed at the pronouncement as John Hart snorted. "A bloody temp?"

"I'm not a temp," Tesni retorted, feeling herself bristle. Really!

"She's an Enforcer," Ianto Jones told him, contempt equally distributed between herself and John Hart, "like Mextli is."

"_Was_," Tesni corrected, "I filed my claim before I arrested him. His presence caused unwanted and unnecessary interference within a group already under great emotional and physical stress, cumulating in the death of two valued members. It also caused emotional and psychological stress, as well as physical endangerment, of one of the Sidra Caseworkers assigned to this group, which you have been watching over with great care, and the same stress and endangerment to one of the Clients themselves," she nodded to Ianto Jones, "due to his connec--"

"Cut the red-tape, please," John Hart asked, obviously annoyed.

Tesni looked over at him before saying, "He broke the law, _our _law, and since he had been entrusted to Enforce that law, it makes him no longer an Enforcer. I was asked, as my final assignment, to return him to our area for trial and punishment."

"Anything else?" Jack Harkness asked.

"Yes," Tesni told him, looking over the group again before saying, "in two days time, I will be your new Caretaker. I need to speak with a few of the management staff as well as file some paperwork regarding Marius until that time, but I fully expect him to be here when I return." She gave a small smile. "It's nothing bad. I don't want him to leave this area anymore then you do. But in the meantime, I wouldn't worry about these things. Bury your dead, help rebuild your city. I promise, I won't take Marius from you."

Gwen Cooper-Williams gave a small sound of annoyance, "Sure, don't worry when you said you'll be back in two days to 'deal' with poor Marius. Hasn't he been through enough this year, without you havin' a go at him too?"

Tesni looked at the concerned woman and told her, "I'm not about to 'have a go' at him. I just need to make sure the paperwork is correct before I give him any news, good or bad. But I will attempt to make sure he gets good news."

Not wanting to speak to the group any longer, and realizing she would only cause them to worry all the more, Tesni quickly disappeared in a flash of gold.

--

It was hard to put the items away. Marius hadn't had to experience it when Suzie's items were packed up, but that was because he hadn't been part of the team at that point. On top of that, Suzie had been the 'new girl' and not completely liked or adored by the others. Owen had been killed then brought back, having to go through everyone's feelings and help to get himself 'right' again. Toshiko had been shy until everyone warmed up all the more to her, helping her as she helped them. Toshiko, who had been Jack's first pick for the new Torchwood and who had come so far from the person she had been. She had been the other girl who helped Gwen adjust to life, she had been one of the first to really open up to Ianto, even before the necklace, and she had always carried that torch for Owen, even if he was too stupid to see it and then things became too late.

Marius looked over at where Jack was placing his brother in suspended animation until...even Jack wasn't sure, and Marius was close behind John on the fact that Gray might never be reformed, or able to live a normal life. Marius wasn't sure if he could deal with the memories that Gray held, or even help to set him right after nearly a lifetime of resentment towards his older brother, though the way he acted Marius was partly certain that only some of that was genuine; the rest stemmed from the want to lash out and hurt someone because they hurt him first, a childish way of doing things but the again Gray wasn't really a full adult...he was still a child, and angry that Jack had forgotten him.

"Why can't he...I dunno, go in and tell Gray the truth?" John asked.

"Marius has enough trauma without having to deal with that," Jack said, looking over at Marius from where he stood, partly watching John for a sign that he was going to leave, and partly standing guard so that Ianto didn't come to _force _John to leave. Ianto could agree all day, every day, that John was a changed man but that wouldn't stop the Welshman from shooting John for what happened to Jack.

"Is he always going to come between me and Eye Candy?"

Marius rolled his eyes. "Keep calling him that, see if I don't forget to step in one day."

John raised his eyebrows as Jack asked him where he would go next, John saying he decided to take a tour of the Earth and see 'what Jack liked about it so much' before heading up, stopping to look at Marius as Ianto's eyes bored into his skull then asked, "Would you, if he asked you?"

"I might."

"And?"

"And it's all up to Gray to accept it, not me. I don't want to change someone's head just because others would be better for it. It's against the rules."

John shrugged, "What if you could get away with it?"

"I still wouldn't. It's a rule for a reason, John, not just because someone decided it was moral or immoral. I change his ideas, I change who he is. Something in me says it's wrong, and that I'll be a hypocrite if I do it, so I'm not going to."

John looked up, then nodded. "Fair enough. Well, I'd best be going. A whole world to see. You take care of them, especially Jack. I don't need him disappearing on me."

Marius nodded, watching John leave before hearing Ianto mutter something unflattering under his breath.

"I'd agree, but I only just met him."

Ianto let out a breath and moved to the computers, letting out another as he began to deal with the personnel files involving Toshiko and Owen. In the end, there was just them, the four, and an uncertain future in two days time.

--

Marius slowly traced the palm of his hand as he waited, knowing that he probably should've asked someone to stay out with him when Tesni returned but not trusting himself to ask anyway. He could tell that Ianto was nearby, Jack near him as well, and Gwen was waiting home with Rhys, watching the report and taking comfort in his presence. That Rhys and Andy had to work together during the crisis and also deal with the Weevils that had come from the sewers and nearly attacked everyone in the city as well had caused the two to become a little more like friends then mild rivals, and for that Marius was happy.

"Marius," the voice caused him to stiffen but he didn't turn around, not wanting to look at his replacement just yet.

A small paper announcement was placed on the desk in front of him, Marius looking over when he noticed that Tesni was no longer in the black outfit of an Enforcer, but rather in a bright yellow shirt and light pair of slacks, making her hair and eyes all the lighter.

"Congratulations on your advancement," she told him, "after all, you can't return and I see no reason why you can't be a Field Agent. Being a Torchwood employee is the best cover for being over the Rift I could see, and the Exarch agreed." She smiled at him. "I expect detailed reports from you, Field Agent Marius. Until later." She paused a moment, touching the band on his arm and slowly seeming to take a piece of it off as she moved it down, the rest of it slide down until it reached his wrist and stayed, joining again while she looked at it before saying, "I have a friend or two in Chronometrics who can look into this. Maybe they'll figure out how to make it work again. Now, get some rest please. You look dead on your feet."

Marius blinked as she disappeared and looked down at the band now encircling his wrist before picking up the paper, sensing Ianto's presence behind him as he read through it.

"What does it say?"

Marius looked over at him, then back at the paper before saying, "It says I can stay. I'm a part of the team now...officially, as long as I go along with the rules. I'm a Field Agent now."

_Author's End Notes: Yay, that's the end for Series Two of Torchwood! Yes, I hated the ending too, and I wanted to hurt the writers. Then I saw the ending for Doctor Who and...well, bad things._

_Thanks to my reviewers of Judy and that new girl. I'm glad you enjoy what's happening, for all the emo I'm throwing at poor Marius, and everything bad I did here too. I cannot say it'll get better either: that'd be lying. More to come, and of course a quick merging of Who and Torchwood again for the finale of Series Four in Doctor Who. That's it!_

_And the rest of you who read but don't review can still get writers block for eternity..._


	22. At the Heart of the Matter

**Twenty-One: **At the Heart of the Matter

"It's called Adipose," Gwen told them as she handed over the pill, "Rhys got it just recently, after a trip to London, but hasn't started to take it because he's not sure about the science. He did check on the whole thing, but wants to make sure it's safe before he takes it. Supposed to start shipping out nationwide in a few days."

Jack frowned as he looked at the pill and the packs with it, detailing some of the science, the free item with a small pill-pendant on the end of a chain making Ianto raise his eyebrow.

"Charming."

Marius looked over the small packet, frowning at the name. "Where have I heard that name before..."

"Which one?" Gwen asked.

Jack looked at the spelling of the name before telling Gwen, "I'd toss all the stuff away."

"Why?"

Marius snapped his fingers suddenly, "The Adipose!"

"Who?" Ianto asked.

"They're a race of people who are made up of what humans would consider 'fat'. I remember why I've heard their name before. The planet they used as a birthing world was destroyed recently. I guess they want another one." Marius paused on the thought and turned to the computer before saying to Jack, "Isn't doing that here illegal?

"If they are making children, then yes," Jack said. "Any news on your end?"

Marius quickly typed, creating a small window before saying simply after a second of quiet. "Yes. Tesni said she got a note from the Curator of the Time Lord's Office, officially saying that they were 'handling it'."

The group was quiet for a while before Ianto said, "Great. One less thing to worry about."

"I'm starting to get stir-crazy," Gwen muttered, "and Rhys doesn't even want the thing. Only ordered it because he's hoping for something too. Andy even wants another Weevil attack."

Marius sighed. "I hate to say it, but boredom kills faster then aliens do."

Jack chuckled. "Well, the next one should be good. I'm pretty sure the Doctor isn't about to mess up two things in a row for us."

"Right..." Ianto said, "so now what?"

"I'll tell Rhys to try for the bees thing again."

Marius shrugged as he continued to type, "Maybe Tesni can find us something."

Ianto headed over, "I'll order some pizza. It should help."

Jack followed, Gwen sighing after she got off the phone and sitting nearby. "It should take an hour now."

"Two," Marius muttered, "but it doesn't matter anyway. My guess is we'll have to do damage control."

"Oh, I like that too," Gwen muttered, obviously annoyed by everything that was being quiet.

Marius shrugged. "What else can we do?"

--

"Um, Marius?"

"What is it, Jack?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Playing a game."

"...we're not _that _out of business...are we?"

Marius handed over the paper of the latest Rift activity (close to none), Weevil sightings (quiet) and locations of aliens, alien artifacts, etc (peaceful, none, or destroyed). He frowned and moved the mouse a little more, shaking his head. "I don't know what you Humans find so fascinating that this would become a popular game."

"You haven't tried the 'disasters' command, have you?" Jack said with a smile. "It's what makes God Games fun: you can be benevolent for only so long before you make them grovel at your feet." He paused before asking, "Did Ianto give you this?"

"Yes."

"WHY?"  
"He figured a demi-god who's sole purpose in the universe at large is to file paperwork on Torchwood Three, the Rift, and Cardiff in general would enjoy building up a city, letting it prosper, then scrapping it all and starting from scratch."

"Which stage are you in?"

"Considering the 'disasters' button, to make it interesting. The last fire wasn't as fun...maybe if I start a flood..."

"Biblical."

"Nah."

"What about alien invasion?"

"Too B-movie, and I don't need real life working it's way into virtual reality, do I?"

"Meteor shower?"

Ianto wandered in and looked over the two's shoulder before saying, "Well, they're always 'riot'."

The three looked at each other, then back to the screen before Marius quickly caused a riot in his simulated city.

"Are you going to deploy the coppers?" Ianto asked innocently.

Marius shook his head. "I'll be vicious and cruel, just this once."

--

"Ma—who are you?"

The annoyed voice stopped suddenly as Tesni looked up, blinking at the man who was before her, a bemused older man next to him. She recognized one as a Caretaker of the Sterries line, a decent line that tended to take up with demons, angels, and tried to make the distinction between Light and Dark more like Good and Evil.

Which was pointless in a bureaucracy, but still they tried.

She put down the pen she was using and tilted her head as she looked over at the man who had barged in, as well as brought in a mortal--

Tesni blinked again and corrected her mind. No, an Avatar...how interesting. She had heard about the fact that the Sterries were prone to getting avatars or connections like the Seidra line was, but not prone to having Hubs like the Seidra line, mainly Marius, were.

The Avatar himself was odd, a man with white hair that blended with his pale skin and dark eyes that stood out, making him look very much like a ghost or gaunt of some sort, a type of man that few would feel comfortable with. He wore an old-fashioned coat and shirt underneath, and stood straighter then possibly was good for a Human, but then again as an Avatar he would get some if not a lot of support from their Sidra counterpart.

Compline himself had dark eyes, like that of a shark, but also had short dark hair in contrast to his Avatar's pale hair, though it was apparent that Compline's form was more to look like his Avatar's then anything else.

"You didn't answer my question."

Tesni looked back at the man and sighed. "No, I didn't."

"So who are you, and where is Caretaker Marius? I need to speak to him."

"I see," she muttered, placing some of the files back and pulling out another file, opening it and tilting her head as she read the file simply, not looking up at Compline or his Avatar.

"Where is he?"

"Who?" she asked, putting the file down and marking something on it that would remind her to review that file as well. Marius had been a good record keeper, like any Caretaker who had come across the mess that Compline had left.

"MARIUS!" Compline yelled, glaring at her as his Avatar cool eyes simply glared at him, "I need to speak with him about what happened to Abbadon."

"The demon that was trapped in the Rift?" Tesni paused as she retrieved the partly-completed file and frowned. "Ah, I see. What's wrong? He filed his report on the incident already, and has already received his reprimand for handling the situation in such a...hot-headed manner."

"Pushing us into an open Rift is only considered 'hot-headed'?" the Avatar asked with a dry voice.

"Only due to the circumstances," Tesni said, holding the paper out to read simply, "'Gross negligence leading to the appointment of another Caretaker', 'leave without permission', 'manipulation of a Client race to further specified means resulting in dangerous or deadly situation', 'manipulation to cause a Client emotional distress', and a few more lines that lead to only a mild slap on the wrist. Considering the mental trauma that Marius reportedly was going through due to the pain he felt through a link with one Jack Harkness, then later trauma due to a rather unsightly year-that-never-was, I'm rather surprised they even gave him a formal reprimand for it. I also heard you appeared and confessed to these things in this very office." A mild, reproachful glare went towards Compline. "You should realize that speaking of such things will get out, even if the office is the Time Lord Office." Of course, Tesni had only heard and not actually gone to deal with the Time Lord Curator or Field Agent just yet...she was still adjusting to the new paperwork and schedule, but had heard from her father they received the fruit basket he'd sent them as a 'thank you' gift for recommending her as the new Caretaker of the Rift. Tesni still didn't understand the underlaying joke in it, and didn't feel the need to search for it either.

Compline stiffened and glared at her. "My Client was Abbadon."

"You didn't mention that, or fill out any formal notification, simply abandoned your post and then reappeared to cause massive havoc at the start of what would become a non-existent year of terror for the people of Earth. It was enough to cause more then one of the people who were _supposed _to be your Clients varying degrees of emotional and mental trauma, though Marius did what he could to help ease that. But now that we know that for certain, and record has been made of it," she waved to the flat, featureless wall nearby that was recording the information, a gift from one of her friends in Enforcement to help record meetings and take down important things like this, she asked sternly, "What is your complaint against Field Agent Marius?"

"FIELD AGENT?" the Avatar asked, bemused.

"He's upgraded," Compline muttered.

"I wouldn't call it _that_," Tesni said as she wrote some more on the file about the near-apocalypse and put it away again, "He was nearly taken away, and one suggestion that was crossed out suggested the one he was closest to be killed."

Compline frowned at that. She knew that Marius, even in his anger, knew that the Avatar was linked to Compline and killing him would have resulted in the same type of insanity that plagued Seidra line members should a Hub be killed. Compline had been weakened when Marius pushed the Avatar into the Rift because he was keeping both of them alive.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're forever side-tracking the conversation, and never getting to the point of it," Tesni said, "what is your complaint?"

Complaine sighed and said, "The Light and the Dark."

"They're fine."

"No, they--."  
She held up a small report, pushing it over for Compline and his Avatar to read. "The Light are connected to Abbadon, while the Dark fight them for some reason I didn't care to look into. Due to the destruction of Abbadon in order to save humanity, the Dark began to outnumber the Light. However, the appearance of another chaotic figure...well, two, caused the Light to wake up again when the Rift was transversed by certain key figures: one called John Hart, the other called Gray."

Compline frowned as he read it. "I didn't see that happen. They're still at the same numbers."

"That's within the Rift, of course, but they are also at acceptable levels for both that, should they decided to destroy all of that reality by declaring full war on each other, they can do so realizing no one will win. Oh, and Abbadon was taken over by the Dark before he left the Rift, which is why when he drained the life from Jack Harkness he turned to his original form: dust. It will slowly seep back into the Rift and create Light, but that may take about ten years." Tesni took the note back and now sent a glare to Compline and his Avatar. "What else is wrong with him?"

Compline blinked at the harsh words and finally said, "One of the other Field Agents, who is not assigned to our area."

"What do they have to do with Marius?"

The Avatar was the one who spoke, "It was because of their infrequent visits to see about Marius that we were freed, and that the Light began to diminish. We believe they are collecting the ashes of our Lord, to force the Dark and Light into battle."

Tesni checked on another item and rolled her eyes, then glared at the wording. "This reality will not have any clash between the two...another one might, and that one _needs _looking after." She glanced at the two. "If you're not adverse to the change, I'll put in a request. You both will be busy, though, because the events from this time haven't fully been realized."

"Why put me in charge?" Compline asked, "I don't have any love for Harkness or his crew."

"You don't need that, you just need to be professional, and deal with the crisis there. It's more of one then here, and the timeline there is starting to shift around too much. Go clean it up using your Avatar—."

"Bilis."

"I wasn't asking-- and be done with it. He can act as a pseudo field agent until you need one. So," she leaned forward, "who is the Field Agent that is causing trouble _now_?"

--

Compline walked out of the door and shook his head, Bilis looking at him oddly.

"What's wrong?"

"I just pity those who make her mad."

"Oh? Why is that?"

Compline slowly shared the information with his Human avatar, being careful to ensure not a large amount went in all at once. "She was an Enforcer, and her family is a long line of Enforcers. She knows the laws, and she knows how much she can get away with that anyone will turn the other way. That Agent...should they harm her Clients in any way, since they aren't there for any business relating to their own Clients...she is within her rights to destroy them."

Bilis blinked at the information, then sighed. "I must deal with them _again?_"

"We have to establish ourselves there as well, I'm sorry for it. Look on the bright side—this time we won't be tossed into the Rift, or have to deal with anyone trying to interfere. In a sense, we can do what we must, and only have Harkness to complain about."

--

Marius slowly used his powers to get the cup of tea from the kitchen area, smiling as it came to him smoothly and without the same problems as before while he set it down and smiled at Ianto, who cast him a mild glare. Despite the work he had gone through to improve the barriers between the remaining group, he and Ianto still shared that Hub as a point of contact, with Jack's own Hub being his own area. It both annoyed Marius and confused him about it, but with the damned bracelet on he couldn't return home to study it.

And it wasn't like any of his family was about to actively _acknowledge _him, especially after what happened between him and Mextli. Of that much he knew they would be painfully clear on. He was still out of the family as well.

"Fancy watching the store for a while?" Ianto asked, looking over as Marius continued to levitate various small items around the Hub. The young alien looked over at him before looking over at where Jack was. It seemed that the avid leader wasn't in the general area, and he cast a glance at Ianto before realizing Ianto didn't want to spend time with Jack, but more time with him.

It made Marius more then a little happy as he nodded and the two headed up, Ianto rattling about the general area, the store, how to work the machine, and other small items that Marius already knew but was fine with listening to anyway.

"Tell me about Mextli," Ianto finally asked, causing Marius to come up short. "Were you two close?"

"We were cousins," Marius said, "and fairly close. I told him about the connections, and made him swear to not tell but...well, it didn't work out so well."

"How so?"

Marius paused, sighing as he attempted to find the words to tell this person, who was like a brother to him, exactly what happened. "Most families from my line are very close, with a mild connection mentally. Being pushed out of that is...well...it _hurts_. The only thing that hurt more was having one of my connections die." Marius looked over at Ianto before saying, "Having the connection is considered a bad thing, and breaking them is impossible without them dying. You see my problem."

Ianto nodded, having only briefly felt the pain felt from Owen's death and experiencing a good amount of it when Toshiko had been shot and was dying. Marius had mentioned that he could feel it when Jack died through the connection, and luckily Jack had been a little more careful with his life, though Marius had also been out of the connections when Gray and John had attacked Jack the first time, turning into a backlash that incapacitated the young man during the attack on the Hub before Jack arrived again, and before the appearance of the woman calling herself Tesni, their new Caretaker.

"Well, look who shows his face," the voice was full of malice, Marius keeping his eyes on Ianto, or a spot behind Ianto, as the Welshman turned to look at the new customer who obviously was not human.

The man was obviously related to Ianto and Mextli, apparent by the same body type that the group had shared, though he was only a little older then Marius and younger then Mextli had looked, his clear eyes glaring at Ianto with barely-held rage, possibly at the fact that Ianto had even looked at him. A moment later the man glared at Marius. "Nothing to say to me?"

Marius let out a breath and shrugged, saying, "I didn't think you were supposed to be on this Earth. Last I checked, you were something besides a Caretaker, or even a Field Agent."

"Well, I just made Field Agent," the clear eyed man growled, "Surprised?"

"Somewhat," Marius said, sending a small image that told Ianto he should leave. The Welshman refused to move as Marius continued, "Is there a reason you're here?"

The clear eyed man's glare turned murderous. "You need to answer--."

"Field Agent Tyr!" the voice caused the statement to stop, and Marius to look over at Tesni stood, leaning against the door once more before she said, "I don't believe you are supposed to be here. In fact, if I recall right, you are supposed to be keeping track of the wayward last Client that you misplaced after an...incident...if I remember." She kept her tone light but her eyes and body language was anything but, openly hostile towards Tyr and obviously ready for a fight. "Bothering your brother isn't going to help the situation."

_Brother?_

_**I'll explain later, Ianto. Sorry about this.**_

"She's got a point," the voice of Jack caused the others to see him emerge from the Hub entrance, "Unless, of course, you want to talk to him alone?"

Tyr glared at the two, Marius standing and walking up to him. "What are you here for, Tyr?"

Tyr, as the man was called, glanced at him and said, "Another storm is heading to Earth. Do you plan on being here when it hits?"

Marius held up his wrist. "I don't have a choice."

"Damn it, Marius--."

"And I'm not going to use Mextli's solution either," Marius told him, "they're too important to me."

Tyr looked at Ianto and Jack, the doorbell ringing causing him to turn and see Rhys and Gwen there as well, Gwen glaring at the man and Rhys confused but willing to help.

Tyr snorted. "Family was important too."

"They're my family," Marius told him, "No one wanted to listen to me about that, though, last I recalled."

"_Dad _didn't. Neither did Hippoltya, or Mextli, or even Resef." Tyr shifted and looked back, looking over Ianto before asking, "Does it make that much of a difference? Having a connection you can never close, a way to learn their secrets but lose so much of yourself to them?"

Marius looked over at Tyr and the two brothers made eye-contact for a long moment, silence filling the room before Tyr broke it, playing with one of the postcard stands. "Should've guessed it."

"Are you here for a reason, Field Agent Tyr?" Tesni repeated, "Your Caretaker is probably in need of a report."

Tyr shrugged. "I know. I asked to go and speak with my brother. I can do that, can't I?"

"Not if what his family did to him is brought up, no," Tesni pointed out, "and since he's my Field Agent, I'll ask you let him keep his sanity for a little while longer."

Tyr looked back at Ianto, frowning at him before saying, "I just wanted to warn him. The things going to be big, and he needs to get rid of that bracelet if he wants to survive. He might be disowned, but he's still my brother."

Marius looked back at Tyr as the clear-eyed man gave him a mild smile and shrug. "Take care of the family, then. Dad'll never take you back, and he'll probably yell at me for talking to you, but I don't mind. I miss you."

Marius didn't say anything to that as Tyr, and then Tesni a minute later, disappeared in a rush of gold.

--

Tyr frowned as he looked over as Rose once more disappeared back to her own world, casting a glance to see Tesni glaring at him. "I was only there because I _had _misplaced my Client."

"You took up being a Field Agent for the alternate world? Why?"

Tyr shifted and finally said, "He runs into Miss Lilith of the Time Lords and changed...then he gets into Torchwood and changes as well." Tyr shrugged. "I had to see what was so interesting that I decided to observe one her Doctor was closest to."

"Rose Tyler," Tesni said, "But what about Marius?"

"I couldn't understand him until earlier, until after I saw what Mextli did. How it affected him."

"You _saw?_"

"It was the first attempt Rose made, when Cardiff was attacked. She thought she had gone back in time, and left quickly, but I stayed a little too long."

Tesni sighed. "Why is she coming back?"

"She found something on her world, and now she needs to help the Doctor. Help him with an upcoming storm."

Tesni looked back. "What does this have to do with causing him any trauma?"

"I didn't mean to. But I helped force him away from his family. I shouldn't have. I want to reconnect...and we did."

Tesni frowned. "The eye-contact."

"We're brothers again." Tyr smiled, keeping to himself the thought that he would have another, in a sense. Ianto Jones was turning into a type of surrogate or foster brother, through the weird connection that made him almost an Avatar, but more than a Hub. He found he was enjoying Rose Tyler and Micky, despite everything, and that Rose had changed because of her loss, and then later her gain.

_They make them into soldiers..._

_But it's necessary. All that is out in the world, it is necessary to realize that evil can happen, and that you sometimes must fight it however you can._

"You will call if anything happens?"

Tesni's question brought him up short, but he nodded as she left, leaving a piece of paper with the coordinates of Rose Tyler on them. Tyr smiled and disappeared as well.

--

Marius had his own flat, but he often would spend time over at Ianto's, unless he was busy with Jack or something. Since the events with Gray, Ianto had comforted Jack more and more, forcing Marius to either stay home or visit someone else, usually Gwen or, on an odd time, Andy.

After the visit from Tyr, Marius wanted to be alone. He wanted to consider all that had happened between him and his brother, and what that mild thought touch, the re-establishment of a connection he thought lost forever, meant.

Torchwood Three wasn't about to let that happen. At least, Ianto, Gwen, and Jack wouldn't, and where Gwen went, Rhys wasn't far behind with little understanding on what was going on but a shoulder to be offered anyway.

Marius didn't want any of them. He wanted to be alone, wanted to cut off all the connections and be alone for once.

Marius shuddered suddenly, remembering what that had felt like after Mextli had put that band around his arm, what it felt like to have no connection, and sighed, wondering how long the group was going to try calling him before they got the clue that he wanted to be left alone.

A familiar knock was met with annoyance on his end, causing it to end abruptly. Marius smiled in happiness and looked over at the bottle in front of him. He generally didn't drink, only kept some for the others, mainly Toshiko and, strangely, for Owen. He attributed that to the lost connection, which sadly seemed to deposit a few of the medic's traits into him, if the conversations had said anything.

Toshiko had dropped a few too, during that slow death that possibly made him want the bottle in front of him even more. Her shy but inquisitive nature, her instincts for technology and love of them, made him wonder as he considered once more the bottle before him.

It was just a bottle of beer, local and obtained from a local store nearby that sold it, which he had sadly taken a liking too. He opened the bottle and tried it, wincing at the bitter taste.

Another knock that he ignored in favor of drinking more from the bottle. The sour liquid worked it way down his throat as he coughed at it, putting the bottle down and heading over to obtain another one.

He could listen to the group from Torchwood later. For now, he wanted to drink and lose himself.


	23. Pent Up Emotions

**Twenty-two:** Pent up Emotions

"ATMOS?" Marius muttered, rubbing his head as he looked at the information. "'Clean and friendly to the environment, the Atmospheric Omission System is easily installed into any automotive and reduces the carbon monoxide put out to zero and easily helps to establish your position anywhere in the globe via a revolutionary GPS marketing system. Get one today'. What the hell?"

Jack took the pamphlet away, "Started around the same time as the Adipose, and close to everyone has one in their car. It was created by a genius, and last call to UNIT and others says that they're dealing with it. My guess is Martha Jones is calling in our dear Doctor to test for alien components in the area."

"Again," Gwen muttered, "I'm still getting tired of the inactivity."

"Be happy for it," Ianto said, handing over a cup of tea to Marius, two cups of coffee going to Jack and Gwen respectively as Ianto said, "We got our own, but what we could tell is that it does have some alien aspects, as well as being over the current technology of Earth. However, we have no idea what it's going to be used for."

Marius sighed, quickly asking Tesni for information before nothing came back, saying, "Tesni can't give us anything, and she's sorry about it. Says that Lilith would've been around, but she just learned from Cameron that she's on leave."

Jack shrugged, playing with the ATMOS object before saying, "Any clue how long?"

"None," Marius muttered, "and still no activity. This is getting very odd."

"What is?" Gwen asked, "Lilith not here, or ATMOS, or no activity?"

"The no activity," Marius told him, "and when I say no, I mean _no_, activity besides a few things. It's lower then before the Rift was opened two years ago, and I can't find a reason _why_."

Gwen was silent, looking at him oddly as Jack asked after a second, "So...what can you find?"

"Nothing," Marius muttered, a shaking teacup showing his annoyance as Ianto motioned for them to drop it. Marius temper had caused more then one thing to crack, break or nearly explode recently, and Ianto was one of the first who often warned other against questioning the Sidra too much on anything, especially about his brother, the connections, or why he had stopped being social, or at least as social as he had been. In some ways, he was starting to remind Jack of Owen when he got into his moods, but this one was from a demi-god that seemed to be depressed and acting oddly.

Jack, and Ianto when he talked about it, was going to blame it on the visit from Tyr for what was going on. Ianto felt a mild strain through the connection he shared, but he never fully went after it, not out of fear (well, partly, Avery wasn't one to cross) but because of the fact that he didn't have the strength to open the dividing door between himself and Marius without risking damage to both of them. Jack wasn't about to ask him to do that, and neither was Gwen.

The problem was getting Marius to open up again. With little for anyone to do, it didn't help that most of the things were being taken care of by everyone else.

But the ATMOS thing might be a problem. That meant they would do what they could to protect everyone.

--

Gwen left all pretenses at the door, opening it with a spare key she had as she saw a few bottles on the floor, frowning when she picked them up, Rhys behind her with some food.

"Isn't he bad with alcohol?" Gwen muttered as she cleaned it up.

"Yes, he is," Rhys said, "I remember the stag party...not a pretty sight, and that was tequila."

Gwen searched the area, frowning when she didn't find Marius in the living room and nothing truly substantial for food in the refrigerator that they had helped him get weeks ago.

Rhys sighed and motioned, Gwen moving over to see that Marius was asleep in the bed, looking sicker then usual. A frown creased her face as she head up, touching his forehead.

Marius' eyes opened, looking over at her, then closed again. "Go away," he muttered, turning over and away from her.

"Not until you stop being like this," she muttered, forcing him back over and up, despite the muttered protest from the younger man. Rhys waited nearby as she finally pulled him out of bed and he landed hard on the floor.

"Get him dressed," Gwen ordered, "I'll make him some food. If he's not up to it, I'm calling Jack. I don't care if he's having his 'down time' with Ianto, I'll pull him in too!"

Rhys watched her leave before pulling Marius up, though the younger man didn't look happy about it as Rhys pulled him into the loo and started the shower. "You," he told him as he waited, forcing the boy onto the toilet, "should be more worried about yourself."

"I don't need to be," he said, looking away, "what's the point?"

"Besides the fact that Gwen and the others will resurrect you to tell you how much of an idiot you are? I might even help, sorry to say."

Seeing the water was ready, he pushed Marius into the shower against his protest.

"Clean up, and come outside to have some food. Gwen's not about to let you think of a protest, and neither am I."

Marius stood, looking unhappy as he shed the clothing and dropped the wet ones outside of the shower. "Fine. I don't mind being social for a little while, but don't expect much."

Rhys chuckled as he put the wet clothing in the sink. "Right."

Rhys waited, Marius glaring at him as he was dragged into the other room and forced to fish out new clothing before being taken outside, where Gwen was busy making food.

"Oh, you got him ready so quickly?" she asked, a smile saying she knew it wouldn't have taken long anyway, and Rhys' smile saying they had planned that for a while. Marius resigned himself to being treated as such and was slightly grateful for the food anyway. He had only had a few things of pizza and other quick foods earlier, so he was happy to get something to eat, in a sense.

"Marius," Gwen said, looking over at the young man as he started to eat, "What's gotten you so depressed?"

He looked over at her, frowning before looking back at his food, "Nothing."

"Was it because of that guy who visited?"

Marius paused on that before saying, "That 'guy' was my older brother, Tyr."

"Your brother?" Rhys asked, Gwen's face taking on a dangerous look that obviously said she didn't fully trust any of Marius' family.

_Considering the fact that she's only met my cousin, and how well that went..._ "He wasn't here for anything like Mextli."

Gwen's glare made him move some of the food around before saying, "He came there to just see how I was doing, and to tell me that he still thought of me as a brother. I...it just upset me that he still felt like that and no one else does, and it made me remember how I felt about that before...well, before I came here."

Gwen and Rhys were quiet before Rhys started up on the latest for what was going on in football and that they should get tickets to the Millennium Stadium's game when they had the chance while Gwen finally said, "You can tell us stuff like this, you know."  
"I didn't want to bother you all."

Rhys smiled. "I'm a bother. You're part of the team."

Marius looked up, returning the smile. "Thanks." _But I don't still wonder if I'm not very helpful, and what, exactly, will happen if Dad finds out that Tyr came to visit..._

--

Tesni looked over the stack of paper and glared at it, shaking her head at the paperwork before looking back at the computer, where another message from Marius asked about any information concerning the Rift, ATMOS, and a few others. But she couldn't tell him anything, because no one was telling _her _anything.

Tesni sighed, thinking on that fact. Despite all the dangerous things that Torchwood and the Doctor got into, none of the Torchwood Caretakers or the Doctor's Curat-no, Caretakers now, were well-liked, thought of, or even ASKED for help in any situation. They came to complain _after _the fact, and only a few of them were _thankful_ or _understanding._ With Doctor it had to be _thankful_. With Torchwood, _understanding_, but when someone's own family would mess with things just because...

"Whatever storm is coming, we'd better get SOMETHNG on it," she muttered, annoyed with the lack of communication, as well as the strange movements within the Rift. Maybe she should contact Compline again, find out what he knows.

_He would've said something to _me _in the least. Damn it, now what?_

Tesni wished at times for something like Vensha's premonition or even just a small bit of a major blood-line within her, but instead all she had was her family's loyalty to the Enforcers and Chronometrics that made her an outcast of a sort.

A phone call made her pause before she picked it up. "The Rift, Torchwood Offices."

"_You're too professional, my little light._"

"Daddy..." she rolled her eyes, "What are you calling for?"

"_Your mother had a ringing, said you were thinking of us. Also, have you heard back from the Doctor and his assistant?_"

"You mean his _Companion_, and no. They only came in to ask me about the whole thing with the Ood. Their new Field Agent, Junior, seems quite nice, by the way, even if the Doctor was trying to pick a fight. Elder Brems know they have enough issues without involving _me_. I think that Donna lady told him off for that." Tesni smiled at that. "He probably doesn't want anymore ginger people or aliens to deal with, not after however long with _her_, and most certainly not if she _and _Lilith got along so well."

A laugh. "_So Cameron told me. He's still confused as to why I'm calling to check on her, but I guess that happens when a known Enforcer starts calling up and offers to help out with anything. I think the fruit basket confused him even more."_

"Daddy...seriously..."

"_Marius' father, Puran, put in a request for 'alone time' with his son via Chronometrics. He's planning it around the same time that the Sontarans' Caretakers are making talks and at least two Earth Caretakers are glaring at them for something or other. Keep an eye on your Field Agent, my little light._"

"I plan on it. After all, if I don't, I'll have to deal with Lilith and her Client, as well as Avery. I'd rather avoid any conversation about why I failed to keep them alive."

--

Avery flexed again, stretching out and sighing as she got used to the body again. "That was an adventure in a half. Very interesting, though," she flexed her fingers and looked back at the discarded male body. "I might keep that around for if I have to pick up the Doctor again, though. It was refreshing to know I could make someone feel like wallpaper."

She sat down at her desk, happily female again, before going over the reports and about to reach for a cup of coffee when her hand began to shake and she blinked, looking over at the computer screen as an old language was written within, making her blink again before whispering the lines that were on there.

"_Time I am, Destroyer of the worlds, and I have come to engage all people. With the exception of you, all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain. The Threefold Man shall come, fulfilling all roles and none as he and the Insane fight for the truth. For none can create, maintain and destroy like this man, though the Insane attempt and fail again and again. Watch for them, for...for all shall be destroyed by __the Insane to satisfy their minds, but one within shall create a Threefold Man in order to save and destroy all._"

Avery snapped out of her trance, looking around before saying, "Oh Elders not again."

--

"Ma—oh, yeah, he's not here anymore."

Tesni sighed before saying, "Good to see you too, Professor Avery. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I'm worried about a few people. How far does your jurisdiction go with the Doctor's former Companions?"

Tesni looked over at the computer before saying, "Jack Harkness."

Avery gave her a mild glare before saying, "Then can you tell me where Sarah Jane Smith might be?"

"I can," Tesni told her, "I'm just more worried about the group right now. UNIT was able to move in because of a grouping of deaths involving the ATMOS device, and Martha Jones just called in the Doctor. That means Lilith will be around soon, though I don't think Martha will like that."

"I don't think we should _care _about that, it's not Lilith's job to be _liked_, but if Martha Jones feels like dealing with a hormonal pregnant alien, she can be my guest. I'm more worried about dealing with the ones that _aren't _connected to UNIT."

Tesni looked over and frowned. "Um...I think we're behind on something."

"How behind?"

"We're missing a shouting match between Yvenda, the Sontaran Caretaker, and Cameron."

"DAMNIT! Come on, we need to find out what's going on!"

--

"SHUT UP!"

Avery looked over at Tesni as she slammed her wooden sword down hard, breaking a table nearby. She had forgotten that Tesni used to be part of the Enforcers and she had a small amount of annoyance with stupidity.

_Comes in the family, it appears_.

"Can we get to what the hell is going on first before we all act like little children?" Tesni said, glaring at the group as Avery blinked at her.

_I also forgot this was why I'm considered scary._

Tesni waited until everyone was quiet before she said, "So, what are you all yelling about, and what are we going to deal with?"

--

Marius was shaking, but he tried to think beyond that and the fact that his lungs were on fire as he reached out, pushing for everyone in Cardiff to not panic, finding Rhys trapped in a car and pushing out against the glass until it shattered, allowing him to escape. PC Andy began to direct the police even as the Torchwood SUV, ATMOS-free, began a long patrol to try and help the people.

He was out here, alone, because he couldn't be near the others. He needed this, so he could _think_ and get out of the way.

_And I can be helpful._

So he ignored the fatigue and the fact that he probably was pushing himself more then he should, only because he knew he could get out of this. That he knew that the others would be safe, that the world would be safe soon, as long as he--

Something shimmered, and he straightened, looking at it as he felt all connection with the outside leave before he felt his shoulder's slump and heard the familiar voice behind him.

"Marius."

"Dad. While I like that you're talking to me, I am a little busy."

"They can wait. The Clients were never as important as family."

Marius turned, facing the man. His eye were dark blue, and his body was modeled to look human, so he had to guess that was where his final mission had been around one. He wasn't one that you could look at and remember either, something so plain it was almost hard to look at.

_He's in Chronometrics, he doesn't _want _anyone to see him_.

"Yes, but when there's a major crisis going on, it's usually good manners to wait until _after _it's conclusion. What do you want?"

Marius stood his ground as his father walked forward, stepping up to be right in front of him before saying, "Like I said. We need to talk."


	24. Inner Turmoil

**Twenty-three: **Inner Turmoil

Ianto felt himself stiffen as Jack looked over at him from the driver's seat. "You okay?"

"I...no."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't feel Marius."

Gwen looked over at him as she got back in, the ax having helped to save multiple lives of those trapped within their cars as the sky began to get thicker with the smoke. "Anymore of this and we'll be dead!"

"A few have reported into the hospital," Ianto said, going back to business as Jack drove off to the next street, the various policemen and women helping in the crisis and luckily keeping in communication. After the debacle between the Sleeper cell and Grey, Gwen had arranged a meeting with Jack and herself, representing Torchwood, and the local law enforcement, ensuring better plans were in action. Ianto had come in to take notes and read off regulations, making him both liked and disliked among the group.

Marius, despite urging from Ianto, Jack, and Gwen, had stayed in the Hub, stating he 'needed time to think'. Since it had been a few days after meeting with his brother, Ianto was still more then positive that he had done something to make Marius like this, and the inactivity had only intensified...whatever it was that brought about this depression.

"Ianto," Jack's voice made him look back over as he asked, "can you feel him?"

Ianto shook his head. "It's like he was never there."

_No,_ some part of him thought, _more like he's been cut off, like something is keeping him from you, or..._

"It's not like when Owen died, when he was holding in everything, or even lately, after Tyr's visit. It's...it's like there's just an area that he's cut off from."

Gwen suddenly gasped, yelling, "Look out!" before Jack screeched to a stop, the group looking up to see the girl, Tesni, standing in front of them, tapping that wooden sword of hers against her leg. Her hair was brilliant white in contrast to the canary yellow shirt and light colored slacks she wore, but despite her sunny clothing she looked very serious and very worried.

With a few quick strides she was over to Ianto's side of the door, opening it up to look at him as Jack started to protest. "Where was he last?"

"Who?"

"Marius, my Field Agent," she said, her voice dangerous as she glared at the three, "Where was he last, Ianto Jones?"

--

"Marius' father asked for a barrier to be put up. While the two are inside, no one but those who were inside already and left can enter again." The sky above them was on fire, clearing out the monoxide and signaling that UNIT and the Doctor had once more saved the day. Jack and the others had done what they could to save humanity, and truthfully Marius was just as important. Plus, UNIT already said they 'had it' so Jack saw now reason to worry. Between UNIT and the Doctor, most things were figured out if they didn't affect Cardiff alone.

"So what makes you think we can get in, then?" Gwen asked.

"Marius is connected to everyone," Tesni said simply, leaning against a railing. "I'm not allowed in because I'm not part of this reality, so it's impossible for me to go in and help. There is a...chance...that you three could make it through because of the connection."

Jack looked over and said, "At least you didn't just say 'Ianto'."

"The chance I got was higher for Ianto Jones then you two, Captain Harkness. Considering your feelings and Gwen Cooper-William's feelings concerning teams, as well as the two in question, there is more then a small chance that you two could make it through on sheer will and stubbornness alone."

Ianto glare at her, saying simply, "You could be less cold-blooded about it."

"I'm practical to a point," Tesni told him, "and this isn't protocol or cold-blooded. In fact, asking you three to do this breaks any number of rules set down by Chronometrics, Enforcers, and even a few Caretakers. I'm not being reprimanded for it, though, because these rules are also being bent far too much by...others...who seem to not understand the nature of your connection with Field Agent Marius. I'd rather they leave him, and therefor you three, alone, but meddling seems to be a cultural trait." She paused and motioned towards the area. "We don't have all day, by the way. You can think what you want about me, but I _do _care about your well being and the well being of my Field Agent. He and you have gone through quite enough."

Ianto's glare softened, and he breathed in before muttering "right" and heading forward, Jack and Gwen following closely behind him.

Jack felt himself going through the wall, reaching back to grab Gwen's hand when he noticed her stumbling. Ianto reached back as well, Jack's hand coming comfortably into his as they continued forward. It was like walking through a wall of molasses or thick honey, or even a type of gel that threatened to harden and encase them at any second if they stopped moving forward.

Just as suddenly as they had entered the area, Jack felt himself stumble, Ianto nearly being knocked over as Gwen, a second later, also tripped and bumping into Jack.

Ianto had drawn his gun with his free hand, and after seeing the scene there, Gwen were not far behind, all three still holding onto the other just in case and unsure as to what they were facing, exactly.

Marius lay on the ground, face up and with vacant eyes, worse then even when they had found him half-conscious and out of it in that torture room. Above him, glaring down at the prone body, was a man that you won't look at twice, his clear eyes looking the three over with a superior disdain that Jack had reserved for only the few times he and Bilus had crossed paths.

"What have you done with him?" Ianto demanded, his gun not wavering as he almost started forward, Jack's hold on him stopping the Welshman from doing anything foolish. Gwen's report on the incident with Grey had reported that Ianto, after _seeing _John, had nearly shot the other Time Agent, though Gwen and Toshiko's intervention had stopped it...just. Marius had helped at the time, though he would've been able to react quicker had the band that Mextli put on him not been there, but...

"You must be that one who caused all the problems," the man, Marius' father, said simply, not even bothering to look at Ianto longer then a second, glancing over Jack and Gwen in even less time before looking back to out to the ocean. "I don't understand what's so special about you. Absolutely nothing, as far as I've seen. In fact, you're plain. Annoyingly plain, annoyingly simple creature. Why anyone would stop for you is beyond me." He looked back at Jack for only a second before saying, "Even you, who could be something much more, are plain. He shouldn't be here, or have done anything for you three."

Ianto cocked the gun, training it on the man. "WHAT did you DO?"

"I heard you, boy," the man said, not bothering to turn around. "I simply checked on something. He never could deal with it as a child, and with such a fractured mind because of dealing with you three, he reacted badly to it. I really must speak to Tyr now." He glanced back to see Ianto still there, training the gun on him. "Are you still there? How did you three get through the shield, anyway? Plain things like you should've been kept away, after all."

Gwen now spoke, "We're _not _plain. Not to the people here, and not to Marius. Marius isn't just something you can go in and break then--."

"My, you are a dull thing," Marius' father said, "Of course I can. Marius is my son, and as such is under my rule until such a time as I see fit to release him."

"You disowned him, though," Ianto said.

Marius' father now seemed to take an interest in Ianto, tilting his head to look at the tall Welshman, his clear eyes seeming to have an attempt at reading his thoughts. "Did he tell you that?"

"Yes," Ianto said, "I asked, and he told me."

Marius' father paused, then gave a small, almost unheard, snort of disgust. "He considers you a _brother_. I would be more disgusted by that if _Tyr _didn't also think the same thing. How odd, but then again those two always were." He looked back at the ocean, then shook his head. "Pointless thing. Pointless planet, really," he turned and looked down at the vacant-eyed Marius. "And now a worthless offspring. At least his sister and other brother made something of themselves." Not even looking up, he said, "Keep it. I don't need this..._thing_...as part of my family. I'd send you Tyr as well but I can't seem to find him. I suppose it doesn't matter," he waved, "I'm done. Take it, don't bother me again."

In a sudden flash of gold that surrounded everyone enough to blind them, and then Tesni was racing forward, a strange older woman in the same type of uniform that Avery had come in earlier racing to the scene.

"Damn it!" the woman cursed as Tesni stopped, glaring at the area before asking the older woman, "Do you have it?"

"I do," the woman said, beginning a check up, "What are you going to do?"

"Find Tyr," Tesni said with a finality that seemed very dangerous, very...Enforcer. "He might be able to shed some light on the situation. If not, then you at least have those three."

The woman nodded. "Oh, why thank you."

"As long as they're kept _alive and sane._"

"...Does your father know you threaten older beings?"

"Yes," Tesni said, "but only if I must, and since my duty is to take care of Torchwood Three, Cardiff, the Rift, and Marius, I'd rather make sure all of them are in good condition when I can't take care of them." She nodded to the others before saying, "Professor Avery, I leave this to you."

The three looked over at her as she disappeared before looking back at the woman. She blinked and sighed. "WHAT?"

"Professor...Avery?" Gwen asked in disbelief.

"Can we get to this now, get to why I've decided to be female again _later_?"

The three jumped, Jack smiling briefly as he commented, "Alright, I'm convinced. You're Avery."

--

Avery placed Marius on the examination table, shaking her head as she did. "I honestly dislike Seidra line. After the whole thing with Ulamo I went looking, but the whole family is down to his, and guess what they said?"

"You're worthless and not worth their time?" Ianto asked.

"They'd tell you that, or kill you. Apparently your name ranges from 'Abomination' to 'Problem' to..."

"I got the picture after Mextli."

"Elders, what happened?" the voice caused the group to look over as Tyr, currently being held by the scruff of the neck by Tesni, was pushed down the stairs to where his brother lay.

"Your dad happened to him," Jack said simply, "and he said something about doing the same to you, too."

"He can't, I already warned his Caretaker, plus his assignment," Tesni shook Tyr, who didn't seem to care as he looked over at his brother, "moves around too much for him to be in one place for more then five minutes."

Gwen looked over, worried. "What happened to him?"

Tyr shook his head. "Dad didn't he wouldn't, he did--."  
Tesni shook Tyr harder, turning him around and pushing him aside as Avery started to protest. "Obviously, whatever he 'didn't' do he did, and now your brother is catatonic, enough that even _I _can't feel his presence, and I'm his Caretaker! The only thing I should feel about him is if he's alive, dead, or anything in-between. This isn't even in-between! This isn't even a state of anything, so what, in the name of the Elder Brems, did your father do to him?"

"Tesni," Avery said quietly as she saw the wooden sword out, "There are a lot of breakable things here, and I, and Torchwood, and Cardiff, don't need them broken. I know you're mad, I know you want him to be safe, but yelling at his brother isn't going to help."

Tesni glared at Tyr, her grip on the wooden sword tightening as it began to glow a coral color before it disappeared and she stalked out and into the main area of Torchwood. Avery breathed out a sigh and shook her head. "Now, Tyr, I need you to tell me, or show me, do _anything, _but what was it that your father wouldn't have done to put Marius like this?"

--

Tesni sat, waiting nearby as Tyr looked up, then to Ianto before saying, "It's a punishment. It was a form of punishment, the worst type. He said he wouldn't do it, but...he gave us...pieces of it. When we misbehaved."

Gwen frowned, looking over at Jack, who looked at her then back to Ianto. "Ianto?"

Tyr and Ianto continued to stare at each other, though, Avery now looking at them before Tesni felt it and sent a push, stumbling Tyr and causing Ianto to blink, looking around as if he wasn't sure where he was.

"The Sterrise have a punishment like it," she muttered, "it's when they want to confuse the enemy, or when the person has done something that requires they be..."

"What?" Gwen asked. "Did what? What happened?"

Ianto answered, his voice sounded strange, as if hollow. "It divided them. Divided enough of it so that all that is left is a shell..."

Jack walked up, touching Ianto's shoulder. "Ianto, what's wrong?"

Ianto shook his head, his body shaking lightly under Jack's touch as Tesni frowned, then looked back before connecting the pieces. "He took small pieces of what happened, didn't he?"

Tyr looked back at her as she said with confidence, "Using that form of punishment on a child is against the law, even for a Chronometrics. But if the child doesn't remember, if the memory is taken, a piece of it, and stored, elsewhere, used as—oh Elders, _that's _why they hate the links and that's why they hate Ianto!"

Tyr blinked before saying, "What?"

"Memories, at least Sidra memories," Avery said, "can't be taken out. They have to go somewhere. If Marius had amnesia about a certain time, or a reason for being as he was, then the memories would have been put elsewhere."

"What's that got to do with Ianto?" Jack asked, then stopped. "Marius was in his natural form when we first met, and he was near Toshiko and Ianto."

Tesni said simply, "The Caretaker of that area had placed a blanket over it, making it so any Sidra attempting to investigate the killings would, in turn, also be killed. However, in their natural form in that place, a Sidra would have to attach itself to something there. Marius reported he attached himself to Ianto, so there was a type of secondary shell, created by everything he was. When Ianto was hurt, the shell was damaged."

"The fracture," Ianto muttered, Gwen now coming to flank him, "When I was hit, there was a fracture, a crack. I saw Toshiko for a second...after that we both blacked out."

Jack looked back over at Avery, still feeling weird about the former handsomely-cute man with a baritone voice to this somewhat older lady with a voice that matched. Of course, the professional attitude and way of ordering people around was still the same.

"So," Avery said simply, looking over between Ianto and Tyr, "going by what I know and what we've found out, I take it your father took memories as punishment?"

Tyr looked off to the side. "He...didn't _take_. He moved."

"WHAT?" the outraged voices of both Tesni and Avery made Jack and Gwen jump, while Ianto simply flinching as Avery suddenly headed over and grabbed Tesni's arm.

"Oh no you don't. Stay."

"Professor Avery, I need to report this!"

Avery sighed. "I wonder if I was this bad. Look, Lilith wouldn't have reported this until she was sure, and considering one of her last acts as a Field Agent was to suggest you as Caretaker should the question come up, you owe her and my family this. Now stay and just wait. Okay?"

Tesni cast a glare before nodding and Avery, after another pause, released her while Gwen asked, "Care to explain, please?"

Tyr, oddly enough, was the one who did so. "Dividing a Sidra into pieces requires...other people, to hold on it. Moving memories or ideas into some other part causes them to be retained, to a degree, but it also...hurts."

"It's the highest violation of what we Sidra would consider a Geneva Convention. It's not allowed against even the worst offenders...only exception, or at least thought of exception, was as a rehabilitation for Ulamo, but it was vetoed because of the amount of pain it would cause. He was a monster, but we shouldn't lower ourselves to that area, either."

Ianto sighed. "So, what can we do?"

Avery looked over at him, Tyr also glancing at the Torchwood members before saying, "We need to find them. I think they're all within the links. That was the only part that Marius wasn't using, that none of us were using, and why after we found out Dad would disown him, or even move towards killing someone we know would cause him pain. We need to go into his connections and see if we can find them."

--

Avery had the group sit down in a circle, telling them, "This isn't like before. You have to go in through your own mental room, try to find anything that doesn't belong. It could even be in the connection itself."

Tyr nodded, near Ianto. "I'll help him look through the broken connections. I don't know if we can find everything, but probably enough to find out where Marius is."

Ianto nodded, Jack reaching out to hold his hand. "We'll stop this, Ianto. Promise."

Ianto gave a small nod, Gwen looking over as Tesni appeared suddenly, Rhys blinking as he looked around and saw the group, Jack frowning while Tesni moved Rhys over to be next to his wife.

"I figured she'd need a grounder too, and it was either him or PC Andrew Cooper, but he's still busy with everything after the Sontarans. Do you need anything else, Professor Avery?"

"No," Avery said, "thank you for the help, Tesni."

With a nod, Tesni headed out in a rush of gold, Avery saying, "I'll talk to you in a second, Rhys. I'm sorry to bring you into this, but we can't delay this any longer. If you all could start..."

The three nodded, Gwen giving Rhys a smile before closing her eyes as Tyr and the others did, slowly falling into an almost hypnotic sleep as Avery said, "Rhys, long time no see. There's a lot to go over, and not a lot of time to do it. Ready? I'm not about to waste anymore breath telling you something twice."

--

Gwen had never been in her 'room', or whatever it was that this place was called. It looked like her flat, a few things from Torchwood obvious and out-of-place among her normal things as she sighed. "Out of place, huh? Out of place where?"

Gwen turned full circle, wondering where something would hide if it was a child, or a memory.

"Poor boy," she muttered, considering everything. Since meeting Marius, he had helped out as much as he could, and somehow it was only recently that he started feeling like he wasn't worth anything.

She paused, looking at the small tray where Rhys sometimes put spare change, the two using it for laundry when they had to or other small things. There was change in one, but another was empty, and had odd writing on it. She slowly walked up to it, wondering if she should pick it up or not.

_If I don't, how else will I get it out of here? Come on, Gwen_, she thought to herself as she picked it up, blinking suddenly as she saw something inside.

"_I don't understand, Mom," child-Marius was saying, "why does Dad say that the Hubs caused him to die?"_

"_It's the truth, Marius," his mom told him, "why can't you just accept it?"_

"_It's just...if deaths caused him to die, not all those injuries and trauma, then wouldn't Seidra die after he connected to everyone? Wouldn't he be in danger, in pain all the time?"_

"_Marius." Gwen saw Marius suddenly stiffen as his father walked in, "What are you speaking of this time?"_

"_I...it's just..." Marius fumbled before finally saying, "I don't think it was just the deaths of his Hubs that killed him, Dad. I think it was more than just that."_

_Marius' father frowned. "It wasn't. I was there, I know."_

"_I...I know, but...but what if...what if you're wrong?"_

_The whole of the room went silent suddenly, the dark feeling like the one that Gwen had felt when she tried to talk Jack into looking into the disappearances. _

Gwen looked around to see herself back, shaking off the feeling. That had to be the first time Marius openly asked himself if his father was wrong, had said it to his father, and...and he had moved that memory? Why?

A crying sound came from the loo as she looked over, heading over to where it was, slowly opening the door before seeing the child Marius she had seen earlier cringing in the corner, crying.

"Hey," she whispered, kneeling down to look over at him, the young boy looking at her and shaking, "it's okay. I'm a friend. My name's Gwen."

"G-gwen," he hiccuped, wiping his cheeks clear of tears, "I'm scared. He'll come back."

Gwen shook her head. "Tesni and all of us will make sure he doesn't."

"He always comes back."

Gwen smiled, reaching out and touching Marius' shoulder. "We can deal with it. We can take care of you. Come on."

The child Marius looked around, then nodded and took Gwen's hand as they stood up.

--

Jack looked around his office, or the area that looked like his office with cross sections of the Time Agency and TARDIS all tossed into one. It was almost impossible to find the thing that was out-of-place.

"Great," Jack muttered, "please tell me Gwen and Ianto aren't having these problems."

He sat down, glancing at the area before he saw it.

Ianto's stopwatch.

Why would that be in his room? And besides, it looked...off.

Standing, Jack walked over to where the stopwatch was, picking it up and studying it as he felt something come up in the back of his mind.

"_You keep that up, Dad'll punish you," a younger Tyr said, looking over at a much younger Marius. If Jack had to guess, he'd say that Marius was maybe a preteen or close to a teenager._

"_I don't care," Marius said, standing up, "I'm going to do it."_

"_Why sonic weaponry?" Tyr asked, "Why even ask about the Time Wars? No one exactly _likes _the __Dalek or the Time Lord Caretakers anyway."_

_Jack frowned, remembering that now the grouping was called Curators...meaning this was either during the Time War itself, or before it._

"_It's just interesting."_

_Tyr sighed. "Dad said for you to do it on something nice, like the Sapphire Waterfalls or the twin planets or maybe even time travel devices. Every race plays with them at one point or another...and it'll make Dad happy."_

"_And I don't _want _to do them, or make Dad happy that I'm doing what he wants me to do. I'm doing the sonic devices. Besides, I would like to see how they work. It's not like I'm going to get one."_

_Tyr sighed. "You already wrote it up, didn't you?"_

"_I already submitted it, actually," Marius muttered, giving a small smile, as if triumphant but scared. "WHAT?"_

"_Who knows?"_

"_Mextli, but he's--."_

_There was a sudden knocking, Tyr looking over before saying, "I don't think Mextli can keep a secret. He hates it when you go against Dad."_

_The betrayal and hurt look on Marius' face as his father opened the door, Mextli nearby, was enough to make Jack want to kill the Enforcer that had hurt Marius a few months ago._

Jack let out a breath as he blinked himself awake, looking around the area as he saw a mild shining from the doorway that he knew was the link between his mind and the active Hub, the one that had been created with Ianto.

"I hope this is what I'm looking for," he muttered, opening the door to see a storm outside, worse then any he'd seen during his travels.

"You must be Jack," a voice made him turn, blinking as he saw someone who was obviously related to Marius sitting in the chair, reading a book, "or whatever you're actually called. I suppose it doesn't matter, in the end." The man stood, and Jack was amazed at how ancient he looked, his white hair even clearer then Tesni's own, his blue eyes like washed-down topaz as he walked up to look at Jack then beyond him to the storm. "It's really a doozy, what his father did to him, isn't it? I suppose you and that girl think you're the ones to fix it, don't you?"

"We're not?" Jack asked.

"Bravado aside," the man told him with a smile, "you're not. You're not the heart of it, or even where he is, in reality. That boy-toy of yours is."

"Ianto?"

"That's him."

"Why?"

"Because his mind was right. Because of the timing. Because it is foretold that you are to have one great love, and with your ability to live forever, to never die no matter how hard you try, or how much you want it, something must transcend that. It is, in fact, the same reason that all these odd things are going on. Vensha warned me, and now that I concentrate I see what he means. This is almost enough for the Elders to get involved. Since we can't, though, we need you to help our family." He nodded to the storm. "That being said, I really must be going. You'll all figure it out without my help, though. Run along."

With a forceful push, Jack stumbled and went sprawling into the storm.

--

"I told you, there's nothing!" Ianto yelled, walking around as Tyr glared at him, attempting to open up the burnt-out shell that had been Owen's opening.

"Try again," Tyr said, looking to the door next to it, the destroyed one that had once belonged to Toshiko. He hadn't realize there would be this much damage. With an annoyed glare he took a step back to look at the two as Ianto headed off elsewhere. Tyr didn't bother to watch, only sigh as he wondered what was going on and why these doors wouldn't open. Sure, their connections were now dead, but that didn't mean that they would just STAY SHUT.

_Unless..._

Tyr walked up to the nearest of the two, the one once belonging to Toshiko Sato, and frowned. The only reason he could think of was that Marius and Ianto hadn't fully thought through their grief, and thus it was shared.

Or Ianto hadn't. Or Marius hadn't. Or neither had, all things considered. He had never seen two people so connected that—oh crap.

Tyr looked around before he spotted Ianto standing nearby and sighed. "It all went somewhere, and I didn't think of it! Ianto, I need you to get down here and help me with something!"

--

Gwen fumbled with the door, helping the younger Marius in as the door up in Jack's office opened quickly, Jack coming in looking like he had just gone through a wind-storm and holding onto a small watch that the young boy quickly took, examining like it was a long-lost friend.

"Where's Tyr and Ianto?" Gwen asked, noticing how the Hub itself looked. There was at least two more doors, which she had to guess were Ianto's mental door to where he could be alone, and Marius', which was currently looking like it was unsteady, or even about to break.

"Here," Tyr said, Ianto coming up behind him as he said, "and I think I know where the rest of Marius is."

Jack looked over as Tyr looked at the child Marius, holding the stopwatch, then back to Ianto. "What's left of Marius is within Ianto."

Everyone stopped, looking between the two as Ianto blinked, trying to make sense of what had just been said.

"It's...in me?" Ianto asked as he looked over at Tyr, who seemed to be waiting for something or some registration, or even a reason, for what Tyr was telling him.

"The crack and the blanket, the fact that you two are close but not a Hub, or an Avatar, means that there's something else. Your ability to heal each other, but gain the same aches because of it. All of it should be that of an Avatar, but your mind acts more like a Hub."

"That's what Marius said Ianto and I were," Jack said, looking over at Ianto, "so he's not?"

"Marius didn't fully make you a Hub again after that Year that Never Was. The pain he went through caused him to divert the mental energy from you to the others. Despite it, though, he and Ianto shared much the same connection when, by all rights, it should've diminished like everyone else's did."

"Year that--." Gwen started, but Tyr cut her off.

"There was a year that shouldn't have happened. Jack disappeared for six months because he couldn't return before then, and when he did it was during the election. After that...well, it was a messy business on Earth, but it was righted and that's what counts. During that time, Marius built up the connections as he ensured your survival and the survival of those in Torchwood Three, but the end result was him losing most of those. Despite that, and despite Jack being the only one to remember the Year, Ianto's connection didn't change."

"But that doesn't...I mean..." Gwen paused, looking over at Jack then Ianto. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He should be," Tyr said, "as long as we get everything right. This area _is _the Hub, but it exists within everyone, as a central ground. If we fix this, Ianto won't be holding it here."

"What do we have to do?" Ianto asked.

Tyr looked over at him, sighing before he said, "I'm not sure. I don't even know if we'll be able to divide you two up."

"Should we ask Avery?" Gwen suggested. Tyr nodded, saying to the younger Marius, "Stay here. We'll figure this out."

--

"You three aren't done," Avery stated as everyone woke up, Jack giving her a smile as he muttered, "Nice to see you too, sunshine."

"What happened?"

"I found a part of Marius," Gwen said, "and we put him in the Hub. Jack found something too, but..."

"I got a visit from one of your Elders, saying that Ianto was the key," Jack said, "and there was a mild storm between my connection and the Hub."

"Probably because of guilt over something," Avery stated, "either that or confusion. One of the two."

"And," Ianto said, "Tyr figured out the rest of the memories, and most of Marius, is...well...stuck in me."

The room was silent as Avery looked at him, then began to curse. Tyr's face turned red as she stopped then said, "If that girl doesn't put a restraining order against his family for reckless endangerment, I will! Not you, Tyr, you're fine."

"Thank you," Tyr said, looking a little confused.

"Um," Rhys said, "What's going on?"

"Ianto, we need to figure this out, before it manifests."

"Why?" Rhys asked a second before everyone else did, Tyr included.

Avery looked at them before saying, "Think of the human mind as a balloon. As more knowledge goes inside, it inflates. Some hold a small amount, some hold a large amount, but all of them only have the capacity for so much. Too much will cause it to pop, especially if the too much is that of a Sidra. I read about a Human containing the Time Vortex in their head for a short period of time, and that nearly killed her. The same problem comes if a Human gained all the knowledge of a Time Lord. The Doctor can't share all his knowledge with a Human because, sooner or later, it will become too much and they'll die."

"But Sidra aren't Time Lords," Ianto said.

"Nope," Tyr told him, "we're _demi-gods_, and from a plane of existence that is outside everything, even the Void itself. We've taken it up to be your caretakers and overseers."

Avery nodded, finally saying, "Because of that, you won't just die, Ianto Jones. Your mind will be consumed, and your whole being will explode. You will fail to exist in any universe from that point forward, or even exist in our universe. In short, you'll cease to exist, and so will Marius, because neither of you will be able to be in the same place as the other."


	25. Human Condition

**Twenty-four:** Human Condition

There are only so many things that cause 'seas' of anything to part. For beings that regularly monitor lifeforms on the planet Earth, or even those monitoring 'biblical' lines, Moses did it very well by asking for assistance.

For everyone else, it usually involves a specific look and feel that comes from that person. In the case of the latter, Tesni was currently parting the largest of the sea-worlds in all known existence and even causing a few stars to move aside. Considering that her family were unfavorably compared to lampreys or other annoyances that stuck to anything and stayed stuck until they or the being was dead, it didn't help to know that she was about to grab a rather important member of Chronometrics and have 'a word' with him.

Not that anyone in Chronometrics was about to stop her.

Her brother, Gil, was only along to watch because he had never seen his older sister like this. She was relentless when she was an Enforcer, and he had liked that, but she never did this even on assignments she was very large on solving, stopping, or anything in-between. In fact, he had never seen her so engrossed with her job until she took over the job of bringing back Mextli and then became Caretaker of Torchwood Three over the Rift. She had kept her cool between that Earth and the holding cell, but after the interrogation, she had been ready to kill the kid, even though he was one of the few related to an Elder. Now, after the whole Sontaran VS Earth incident, where she had casually broken up a fight by breaking a table (he had paid good money for THAT footage, and it had been worth it for him, his two older brothers, and half her squad to watch), she was on the way to deal with Puram, her Field Agent's father.

Gil was only following with a camera in case there needed to be evidence...yeah...

Okay, not the best cover, but better he was there to talk her down then a Chronometrics idiot. Well, Cousin Allanzo worked there and he was good, and Gil was faintly sure he had a second cousin who worked there too...what was her name?

Puram stood in front, obviously not conscious that Tesni was named such because when she became bright, a hell of a lot of people burned up for it, especially on this. Seriously, when was the last time Gil had seen her burn this brightly for anyone, much less someone that a hell of a lot of others would gladly ignore?

"YOU," she said in a voice that even an ELDER would listen to, should they be so inclined, "are coming with me. You are going to _fix_ the mess you made or so help me I will _destroy _everything you are, and you are not going to say _anything _to the poor being you sired because if you _do _so help me by the great Elder Brems and all of Enforcement, I will _ensure _you are never brought back and you ashes are so scattered that even _ULAMO _will feel sorry!"

Oh, this was going to be going around the offices for a while.

Puram actually looked like he was about to say something when Tesni grabbed him, cuffed him, and disappeared, leaving more then a few Chronometrics blinking while one or two actually went to complain as Gil stopped the footage and smiled, taking out the paperwork and handing it to the nearest high-body in the area. "Oh, and this," he added after a second, giving over the second and third grouping. "You'll find they're all in order, and in case you lose anything we have them filled out in triplicates in our offices. Have a nice day."

Turning to walk off, Gil sent a quick prayer to the two Elders involved, Brems and Seidra, that something would come out of it, and that Tesni wouldn't have a reason to destroy anyone or anything. He really didn't want to have to apprehend her.

--

Ianto was trying to think past the pain in his head when he heard Tesni's voice, far to loud for _anyone _undergoing a migraine, stating that whoever else she had with her needed to 'fix it, fix it _now_, or she _would _let Jack kill him first'.

The voice, or something else, seemed to drive away whatever it was that hurt him as he attempted to stand, two sets of hands holding him and helping him as he looked up and...

"Dad?"

It wasn't Ianto's dad, and he knew it. But the image was too mixed and blurred for him to not say it, and even as he looked down at Ianto with disgust, something Ianto's father had never done to him, before he started to speak. Obviously, Tesni got annoyed enough to whisper something, or say it loudly because Rhys looked like he was more then ready to agree, Gwen didn't at all look scandalized but by the fact she was cracking her knuckles too, Ianto now wondered who was holding him down?

Jack pulled him up, the familiar feeling and smell and everything seeming to clear the air and his mind as Professor Avery stood up, heading over to stand and glare at notDad and speak to him, explaining...what had they been talking about?

"Jack, what's wrong?" he heard himself mutter.

"It's starting. Avery said you and Marius don't have a lot of time."

The name triggered some memory, the rest seemingly buried in an attempt at self-preservation. They had being trying to figure out how to get Ianto and Marius separate when the headache started. Ianto didn't know how far they got to the medical area before he couldn't stand or even think properly. All he wanted to know at this moment was that Jack was holding him, and Tesni would make it right.

NotDad walked up, something on his wrist—ianto flinched as his mind tried to remember something and not remember it—and knelt down, looking at him in the eyes and--

--

Jack held Ianto as he struggled, the whimpers only serving to enforce the fact that he was going to _hurt _this man when he could, and if he couldn't he was comfortable in the knowledge that Tesni wore the same look on her face.

Avery stood nearby, monitoring Marius' body as it twitched randomly, a few glimpses of light appearing and disappearing just as quickly within the vacant blue eyes. She would cast glances when Ianto's eyes seemed to take on the shade of blue that Marius had, sometimes brimming so much with knowledge it hurt, while other times they seemed almost as vacant as Marius' own currently.

"What's going on?" Gwen asked.

Avery looked up briefly before saying, "Puram is pushing the memories back to where they're supposed to be. After that, it's up to Ianto and Marius to separate by themselves. We can't interfere in it, or it might cause a mix up with someone else, or even back with each other again. I'd rather that not happen."

Puram sat back, Ianto going limp in Jack's hold as Marius' eyes closed, the two seeming to be in a coma as Avery checked the two over, Puram waiting as Avery told Jack to get Ianto into the other observation table, though it was more a gurney then a table.

"Is that all you need me for?" Puram asked.

Tesni looked more then a little annoyed at him as she grabbed his wrist. Jack glared at him as the duo disappeared, Avery stating after a second, "He'll get what's coming to him, Jack. Elders know Lilith has enough problems when they say she did something wrong, and he has enough witnesses to ensure he gets punished. Plus, Tesni's family likes Marius, and their tight knit. Odd, but tight-knit."

Jack let out a breath, looking down at the two. "I just want to know he'll be okay."

Avery was silent, heading up to talk to Gwen and Rhys as Jack stayed next to Ianto.

"I'll take care of things here. Go home, Gwen, and you," she smiled at Rhys, "take care of her. The last prescription I gave you should work still."

Rhys blushed, heading off and telling Gwen it wasn't anything to worry about thinking over as Avery headed over to Jack's room, pulling out a few spare blankets before going back to the medical area and putting them over Marius and Ianto before handing the extra one to Jack. "Here. Call me in three days if there's no change, okay?"

Jack nodded, Avery disappearing as he sat and waited for the two to wake up.

--

He sat in the space, the Hub, looking upward as next to him, chained or something else, the other looked up as well.

"This isn't going to work," one of them stated.

"If it doesn't, we'll die," the other pointed out.

"Like Owen died," the name triggered memories, the two looking over at the burned-out area. "Like Toshiko died."

"But they're remembered, and their bodies are here. We're going to be nowhere."

"Not even the Void?"

"Not even the Void, or the Rift, or..." a pause, "why are we here?"

"We need to be apart. We need to be separate."

A sigh as he looked back up at the ceiling. "But I like being part of this. I like...having a brother like you. I never had one, and now..."

The other looked over at him. "It'll change, but that doesn't mean we won't still be like brothers, or friends or...what were we?"

"I dunno," the first one confessed, "it's jumbled. Which one am I?"

"I dunno," the other told him, his voice not sounding worried but tired. "But one of us had brothers. I remember, there were two brothers..."

"I don't remember brothers, only you, and...and others. Someone who loved me."

"Was it really love?"

"Yes. No. I can't tell. There was love that wasn't returned, and love that was. I think mine was returned."

The other smiled, looking back up. "If that's so, I think you're Human."

The first looked over at him, frowning. "How do you figure that?"

"The Human was in love, and being loved. Sidra had a love but was content without her. Maybe you're Human."

The other sighed. "Maybe. Would that mean that I should look at the Human memories?"

"Can you tell which is which?"

A pause. "Some of them, I can, but the rest...it's all the same. After the Country, it's all the same."

The first frowned. "I remember rules...regulations, colored ink...pain...there was a lot of pain. I'm the Sidra then."

The other, the Human, sat up, turning to look at the first, the Sidra. "But what about the memories? The ones from afterwards. We can't leave them here, it would cause the same problem as before, wouldn't it?"

The Sidra, also sitting up now, frowned and nodded. "Yes, but we have to both go in and pull it apart. Like taffy. I don't think we'll get all of ours, but as long as they're the same, as long as the bulk of it is _us_, we can work the rest out later."

"Taffy?"

"Don't you like taffy?"

The Human shrugged. "I dunno. It's part of the details we can work out."

The Sidra nodded. "Fine then. On three."

--

Jack didn't know what it was that let him know Ianto was waking. He had always known, in some senses, and usually woke up quick enough, or was able to turn and watch at the younger man slowly came up from his dreams. Before, Jack had watched him wake from nightmares of Torchwood One and the Country and even from the time with Lisa. The dreams faded, turning from nightmares into more pleasant things, and Jack was forever happy about that.

But two days into it, when he was starting to consider calling Avery a day ahead of time, Ianto's body shifted slightly, enough to inform Jack that he was waking up.

Jack waited, patiently hoping that it wasn't anything bad, as Ianto's eyes fluttered slowly open, looking around the area before he muttered, "Infirmary, Torchwood Three..." his eyes locked onto Jack, the inner workings of his head seeming to slowly fall into place as he whispered, "Jack...you're here."

Jack smiled, stroking the side of Ianto's face and happy in the knowledge that he was alive and thinking straight. "I'm always gonna be here, Ianto. I'm not leaving your side."

"Pure sap," Marius' voice cause Jack to look up, smiling as he saw the younger man groan, moving his arms as he slowly sat up, blinking. "I'm glad you found your way back."

Ianto nodded, Jack helping him sit up as he said, "That was too surreal for it's own good."

Gwen raced in, having arrived only a few minutes ago and bringing food, latching onto Ianto with a large hug before doing the same to Marius, who gave only a mild smile before there were about three sudden appearances, one by Marius' brother, who hugged him and began apologizing for 'letting this happen' before going over to do the same thing to Ianto, one from Avery, who checked him over then Ianto before seeming to be happy and leaving, then the final by Tesni, who simply looking him over, though it was obvious she was itching to hug him or more, and finally she stated that he didn't need to write a report on what happened, it was taken care of, and to take the rest of the week off baring a crisis. Marius thanked her for the help, Tesni turning momentarily red before she disappeared again.

Marius looked over at Ianto, who shrugged as he was helped off the bed by Jack.

"Jack, I'm fine."

"Okay."

"Perfectly capable of walking out of here on my own."

"Understood."

"You're not going to let me go until later on tonight, are you?"

"Yep."

Ianto sighed, obviously resigned to his fate as Gwen helped Marius up, offering a good amount of food as Ianto and Jack headed off.

Marius smiled at Gwen. "Thanks for the help. It's...going to be weird for a few days."

Gwen looked at him as Marius said, "We're separate, and our memories are more-or-less in tact, but a few are...jumbled. We're still putting them back together, but we have all of our own."

"What about the connection?" Gwen asked.

"They're all normal connections now. We just...it's two-way now, I guess." He smiled at her. "I'm not going to get depressed again, but if I do, you'll all be able to figure it out sooner. Thanks again."

Gwen nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "It's what friends are for."


	26. Anger Management

_Author's Note: Long time no update, but after leaving the Navy and attempting to get a job, I haven't been too inspired. Plus soon it's going to cross over with Saline Dreamer's story, and I'd rather keep up with her then stride ahead. This is mainly a filler episode though, meant to show off Tesni and her own problems. Enjoy!_

**Twenty-Five: **Anger Management

Reworking the old cases was a wonder, and after a few days of it she realized this was what she liked about being a Caseworker, and why Ianto Jones would fit in so well, had he been born a Sidra. She was more then sure there was _something _in the young man's past that hinted at alien origins, but she wasn't up for looking it up then sharing him with anyone else.

Nor was she liking what had happened to Marius, or any of them.

Deciding that she didn't just need to rework the old files, but rewrite them as well, Tesni took out her notepad and paper and began.

--

**Subject: THE RIFT**

**Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, Earth**

**First Reported Activity: December 24, 1869**

**Current Status: Active (?)**

The Rift is a line in space-time which travels through Cardiff, Wales. It is one of at least two Rifts within Earth, but currently is the most active. It was used during the late 19th century by the Gelth to travel to Earth after the destruction of their world by the Last Time War. The Gelth used a native of Cardiff, Gwnyth, to travel through the Rift. When their intentions turned from refugee to invader, the efforts of Charles Dickens, Rose Tyler, and the Doctor (9th Incarnation) stopped them mostly. The sacrifice of Gwnyth allowed for the Rift to close, though it still was active and 'bled' energy into the surrounding area, allowing items and beings of various worlds to come to Earth. The Rift itself remained unmonitored until over ten years later, when the Torchwood Institute discovered it and created Torchwood Three, who's purpose was to monitor the activity and beings coming from the Rift, and gain what they could from the beings.

The Rift touched a few planets and anchors to them, acting very much like it does on Earth: gives, and sometimes takes. To date, there is no formal record of all who have been taken due to 'negative Rift spikes'.

The Rift also was a holding group for Abaddon, the Son of the Beast, until he was released by Torchwood Three. Due to the manipulation of space/time by Bilus Manger, Avatar for Caretaker Compline, Abaddon began to destroy the world, only to be destroyed himself by 'overeating' the life-energy of Captain Jack Harkness. Because of the loss, the Rift has become even more unstable and is prone to acting up.

Currently, the Rift is showing little to no activity, which is beginning to worry Field Agent Marius and a few others who monitor the Rift. Other Caretakers along have also reported a decrease in activity, and at least one is looking into the phenomenon.

--

**Subject: Torchwood Three, the Hub**

**Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, Earth**

**First Reported Activity: Date Unknown, 1879/1880's**

**Current Status: Active**

**Current Members: Four (Three Humans, one Sidra)**

Torchwood Three was founded after the Rift was noticed by the Torchwood Institute. The official job of Torchwood Three was to watch the Rift, as well as gain technology from it, and to destroy any 'phantasmagoria' (aliens) who posed a threat.

The first two documented employees of Torchwood Three are Alice Guppy and Emily Holroyd, who established much of Torchwood Three's original layout, as well as 'actions' (documentation from that time suggests the two were lovers, or at least intimate).

The next 'candidate' was Captain Jack Harkness, though he signed on as a Freelance Agent. His main concern at the time was finding the Doctor (9th Incarnation or later) in order to discover why he couldn't die. Despite his dislike of their methods, he did and still does what he can to ensure that the 'alien' threat is looked into properly, though at times 'shoot first, ask later' is more appropriate.

The final member of the original group was Charles Gaskell, who had no relationship with anyone but probably had to take care of more messes then he'd care to mention.

Most of the group survived until the early 1900s, but most had to be changed out by 1918, when the Rift attempted to merge two points of time (2008 and 1918). Sadly, the trend continued, the only semi-permanent staff being Jack Harkness, who 'inherited' the group on December 31, 1999/January 1, 2000, after then-head Alex murdered the remaining group and shot himself.

Within four years, Jack Harkness had rebuilt the team with the help of Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, and Suzie Costello. He also cut off ties with Torchwood One, London, making Torchwood Three immune to the outpour of damaged survivors after the Battle of Canary Wharf, which destroyed Torchwood One and many of the old ways of doing things. The only exception to this was Ianto Jones, though his reasons for joining were not all they seemed.

After Ianto Jones, the breakdown and suicide of Suzie Costello, along with the recruitment of Gwen Cooper, created the team of Torchwood we know today.

--

**Subject: Captain Jack Harkness**

**Age: Unverified**

**Sex: Male**

**Race: Human**

**Origin: Boeshane Pennisula, 51****st**** Century**

**Prior Affiliations: Time Agency, the Doctor**

**Current Affiliation: Torchwood Three—Leader**

**Status: Active**

Captain Jack Harkness is a pseudonym: his given name is unknown. He died during the Invasion of GameStation (Satellite Five) in the year 200,100, but was brought back to life by Bad Wolf, the merged being of Rose Tyler and the Time Vortex. Being left behind, he traveled to Earth but 'misplaced' his time, landing in 1869. Later learning he was immortal, Jack settled into Cardiff as was 'recruited' by Torchwood as a freelance operative. Between avoiding himself during his conman days of the Second World War on Earth, as well as waiting for the Doctor to appear and explain things to him, Jack slowly set himself up as a fixture in Torchwood. After the murder/suicide at the start of the millennium, Jack worked alone until beginning to search for others, finding them in odd places but taking them all in and rebuilding Torchwood to defend as well as study. His major revisions of Torchwood Three included relocating all Humans taken by the Rift and returned to Cardiff onto a secluded island, where they could not only attempt to recover but be taken care of as opposed to earlier, where they were locked in the Vaults and 'forgotten'.

Jack Harkness has an ongoing relationship with Ianto Jones, a member of Torchwood Three. He also has a few 'scorned lovers', such as John Hart, wandering around. Due to the appearance and violent nature of his biological brother, Grey, Jack was forced to put him into a cryofreeze, though he may never be able to awaken him, and doing so would greatly endanger many others besides Torchwood.

--

**Subject: Toshiko Sato**

**Age: mid-20s**

**Sex: Female**

**Race: Human**

**Origin: London, England, United Kingdom**

**Prior Affiliations: Ministry of Defense—secretary**

**Current Affiliations: Torchwood Three—technical expert, support**

**Status: Inactive (Deceased)**

**Subject: Owen Harper**

**Age: late-20s**

**Sex: Male**

**Race: Human**

**Origin: England, United Kingdom**

**Prior Affiliations: medical facilities—doctor**

**Current Affiliations: Torchwood Three—medical expert**

**Status: Inactive (Deceased—Living Dead/Former Vessel of Death—body destroyed by high nuclear radiation)**

Tesni frowned at the reports. While she wanted to write up more on the two, she had hardly had time to meet Toshiko, only stopping long enough to help her down to the medical bay and later appearing as they all mourned her, the group not ready to lose Marius either. With nothing to say about two of the older operatives, she would only have to update their status and ensure that Marius' older reports were there as well.

Tesni sighed, leaning back and wondering if she should leave to visit with someone, or report to Lilith about Marius and his father.

No...Lilith had her own troubles, from what Tesni knew, and with Junior now running the show, as far as near-Field Agents went, she decided the best thing might be to not mention it to them unless it came up. If she had heard right, Yvenda might end up throwing something out, and rumor-mills would fly. If anything, one of the two would get the e-mail with her storming into Chronometrics and dragging Marius'--well, the man who CLAIMED to be Marius' father—out in order to fix the damage he'd done. The idea of no Ianto Jones or Marius in any reality scared her in ways she had never been scared before, and she didn't want to think about it.

With renewed vigor, Tesni set her sights on refiling, updating, and working on the backlog of files from an overworked Caretaker and from Compline's days, because Elders knew there was a lot.

--

"Seriously, Dad, where did she go?"

"_My light, you know I'd love to tell you, but..._"

"Don't make me have to ask the mail delivery group."

A chuckle from the other side of the line. "_Alright then, my light, here you go._"

Tesni wrote down the address, thanking her father for his help before hanging up and sighing.

That anger she had against so many things hadn't gone away, and cleaning up, rearranging, and even pursuing legal actions against Marius' family had not helped her out. Granted, she had been able to get a restraining order against them, as well as ensure that the wandering Tyr and stuck Marius would never be bothered by them EVER, but that didn't help her.

A few days ago, reports on a Weevil hunt revealed that, despite the ease of the hunt Marius had nearly been mauled, coming out of it with a minor scrape, and unluckily Gwen, Jack and Ianto were starting to feel the effects of losing their two members with no activity to distract them. Marius himself was still trying to recover from what happened, as was Ianto, which meant that the Welshman was even more prone to a breakdown, even with Jack attempting to help.

Of course, with JACK near a breakdown too...that was like throwing oil on a fat fire. Gwen wasn't helping, but then again she had her own problems, ones which Rhys was trying to hold together. He was doing alright, but Tesni wasn't sure how much longer it would be only him that helped out Gwen, or at least was needed.

So her frustration at everything that Mextli had allowed to happen, as well as what she realized would happen if it wasn't taken care of, caused her to look up the one person who might be of some help.

--

It was...normal.

Tesni didn't know if she was surprised by that fact or by the fact that she should've seen it coming. Lilith had left shortly after her divorce to the Doctor and her rescue of Marius because she wanted some semblance of normal for the very abnormal child she would have. Tesni had yet to have the pleasure of meeting the freelance agent called Junior, and she felt sorely left out about it, wishing she could. Office gossip (and a second cousin in Legal) had told Tesni that Lilith remarried once, but that proved to be problematic as well.

Leave it to Juanita to make another man's life a living hell for that. Tesni wondered if Lilith and her family ever realized exactly how far her own family was going to make them...okay, sadly, the family was having more fun making trouble for those who made trouble for the Time Lord Office and all connected then they were at their jobs, but all of it traced back to "they made Tesni _happy, _what else can we do but repay them for the rest of eternity?"

Shaking her head and rearranging the bag of groceries she held, Tesni strode up and knocked on the door, unsure as to who she would meet up with or even if she would be invited in. She'd heard stories about Lilith's daughters as well, and while she would like to meet them as well, she was more then sure she'd rather meet Junior and Lilith instead.

Her knock was answered with what appeared to be confusion, the door only cracked open briefly before it opened fully, revealing a slightly older version of her friend from school.

"Tesni! Long time no see! Come in, come in! What'd you bring?"

"Food. Not fruit, if it helps. I still don't get why my dad sent that basket to your dad, or signed you up for that club or whatever."

Lilith smiled as Tesni put the bag on the table, looking around and, seeing no sign of children, asked, "Are the two already at school?"

"Yeah, both going off to be Caseworkers like Mom and Granddad." Lilith motioned to a clutter-free chair before saying, "I heard you pulled some interesting medieval on someone's ass."

Tesni found herself blushing at that. "Twice, actually. Which one did you hear about?"

"Dad mentioned you against a table during that Sontaran invasion, and then I got an e-mail from one of your...relatives. So that was Marius' dad?"

"_Was _being the operative word. I've had a busy week, unlike Torchwood. I even rewrote a lot of the reports, but..." Tesni sighed and came to the point of her meeting, "Lilith, what do I do about being...angry?"

"Angry? Aren't you asking the wrong person about this?"

"I don't think so."

"You did hear about what happened to me _last time_ I got angry?"

Tesni frowned and considered. "You messed around with another Client, then back-stabbed him to save your then-husband, went into exile, came out and was sentenced to--."

Lilith held up her hand, shaking her own head in amusement. "You need to learn how to condense that."

"You acted like a scorned wife, which you were, and then redeemed yourself. It shouldn't have resulted in such a harsh punishment, but given that you weren't exactly popular, and you were blamed for how Marius was acting, politics caught up with you."

"Gee, thanks," Lilith muttered, "I think you and Marius are the only two that see that."

Tesni nodded. "We're biased, of course, because we're your friends. Never mind my whole family, who wants to hug you, but will settle for hugging Junior. How is he, by the way? Adjusting well?"

"Somewhat. Anyway, we were here because you want to deal with your anger? About what, may I ask? And please, don't go into full detail. I don't want to go down and beat up Jack."

"Rather you didn't too," Tesni said, "he has enough on his mind. Basics of it was I found out that Marius' dad had done something wrong. Remember how Ianto and he were well-connected? It turned out that if we didn't fix it, the two would merge and cease to exist."

There was a long pause of silence as Lilith blinked, looking over at the former Enforcer.

"What part of 'don't want to go down and beat up Jack' didn't you understand?"  
"He helped to pull them apart. They're fine. It's the dad I'd have hurt."

Lilith nodded, her eyes turned dark as she did. "I might have to watch that video of you arresting him again. I never thought anyone would have the balls to do that."

"It helps that I have at least three cousins who work there," Tesni said with a shrug. "They're mildly spread out. One or two are asking if you want trouble for your--."

"I can deal with it, thanks." Lilith paused at that, obviously thinking about the situation. "You don't happen to _like _Marius, do you?" The question caught Tesni off guard, and blinked at Lilith, feeling herself turn red as she said, "Well, I mean...he's...well...he's nice enough but...I mean...Lilith, I'm your same age too, that'd be cradle robbing wouldn't it? I like him, he's a good Field Agent and...all...but...not _like _like. STOP LAUGHING!"

Lilith chuckled a little more, obviously entertained by Tesni's attempt at explaining. "It's okay, Tes, I thought he had his appeals. Granted, he wasn't skinny or yummy like the Doctor...though the Master was a close second in that. I will tell you he kisses quite nicely."

"LILITH! You didn't!"  
Lilith's grin was still there, despite a minor fade in her eyes. "I didn't, nope. The one that got away, Marius was, but that might've been a good thing at that point. On the upside, that body of his _WAS _well-endowed...at least what I felt of it--."

Tesni felt herself grow even redder at what Lilith was saying. "That isn't helping!"

"I did see him naked, though, but it was under--." Lilith stopped as she saw Tesni look away, her face now beet red and causing her friend to say, "Okay, I'm sorry. But it might help if you tell him how you feel."

"I feel _angry _about what happened to him, and that it was allowed to happen. I'm _angry _at what his cousin did and allowed to happen, and I _want _some help, not...not...smut!"

"What can I say?" Lilith asked, going over to get her friend a glass of juice as she got out some tea, "I'm going through a slump. And with three kids around the house at one time or another, it's not like I'm getting much help..."

Tesni found herself nodding in agreement, remembering her own family and how it was up to the kids to _try _and help her mom, though that didn't always work out that way. On top of that, the idea of telling Marius that she wanted nothing more then to obliterate all threats to him and Torchwood, ensuring that Gwen and Rhys could have kids, and Jack and Ianto could...do...whatever they did...made her finally give in to temptation and ask her question.

"Does it really...help?"

"What?"

"Does sex help? I mean...for any of the issues?"

Lilith looked at her, considering the question as the pot came to boil and she put in the bag before answering. "It makes complications out of some, and works out others. I can honestly say that sex hasn't always helped, but it's something, at least." Lilith gave a small laugh as she poured out her tea. "To tell you the truth, I think you should ask Jack or Ianto about it."

Tesni frowned. "Why?"

"They have sex." A pause, "Correction. They have _lots _of sex. I've heard one of my aunt's techs found a few files of them going at it. The stuff took off quicker then your video did."

"It did?"

"You didn't see it?"

"No." Tesni frowned, "I was kinda busy at home."

Lilith nodded, remembering that before being a Caretaker, Tesni had gotten some rather harsh assignments as an Enforcer, which nearly destroyed her. Probably why her family was all for not only ensuring Junior got the treatment he deserved, but also sent her father and her fruit.

Lilith finally let out a long sigh and then nodded. "Then that's it. You should go and talk with them. They'll help set you straight on the sex thing. If not, they'll set you bi."

"What?"

"It's a failed joke, and if Jack goes out of his way to show you what it means, you might have to watch out. Avery's got most of their sessions when they're in the Hub. Try late night when no one else is on watch, they're usually there."

Tesni nodded, going over to pull out the grouping of groceries before saying, "I have a few hours. Pasta or chef's salad?"

--

The Hub was quiet, the lights dimmed so that all there was to allow her to navigate was the glow of the water tower, the computer monitors, and a few emergency lights that seemed to always be on. It felt odd, being back in the Hub after a few days ago she had come in and nearly been unprofessional.

Or was she? Lilith had told Tesni over lunch that many Caretakers and Field Agents developed feelings for one another, usually ending with a child. It allowed certain families to stay attached to one planet or species for generations, much like hers had stayed with Enforcement and other jobs in the like before she went off to the unclaimed area of Torchwood Three.

A sound, and the sudden movement of something up above, made Tesni look over. It wasn't the pterodactyl, so it might be Jack. After all, he was scheduled for duty tonight.

Heading up, Tesni frowned as she noticed a blue shirt tossed over the side of a railing, while next to it, set with almost perfect care, was a tailored jacket. Ahead were a few more articles of clothing, all leading to a somewhat secluded area of the Hub. Unsure what to expect, Tesni crept quietly up, looking around the corner and blinking at what she saw before tilting her head to try and get a better view and idea of what, exactly, was going on.

She knew kissing, and could classify what Jack was doing as that. She didn't understand why he wasn't using Ianto's mouth, but that seemed preoccupied to, as he was trying to tilt his head to kiss Jack's head, face, and whatever he could reach. At one point he let out a gasp, and having been trained as an Enforcer she knew it wasn't a gasp of pain so she didn't go up to find out why Jack would want to hurt someone so nice as Ianto. That was the moment Ianto moved his own hand, grasping something that Tesni had never really seen before and appeared to be...

Tesni suddenly remembered one important thing, and that was her Human sex ed that she had gotten a quick course on before taking an assignment on Earth, so as to not get anything wrong when making a Human body. She picked female, being inclined to do so, and hadn't paid much attention to the male sex organ.

But the fact that it was now being worked so well by Ianto Jones' hands made her forget, for a minute, why she was here. She felt blood rushing to all parts of her body and had to hold in a gasp as she saw Jack move Ianto's hands away and then kneel, sucking on... Ianto leaned forward, holding the wall as he gasped again, muttering things in Welsh that were curses sounding more like prayers and Jack, barely out of view, making loud sounds, like it was a treat.

Oh Elders this was too much! Tesni wanted to move but couldn't before she heard Ianto let out something like a yell, and then saw Jack looking over at her, licking a strange white substance off his lips and leering, as if inviting her down for a taste.

Blood rushed to her cheeks in a sudden panic as she disappeared in a flash of gold.

--

"WHAT?" Ianto felt himself turn red with embarrassment. "But...why?"

"Last I checked, the only reason Marius acts the way he does is because of us," Jack said, stroking Ianto's back. After seeing Tesni turn red and disappear, a few things came up in Jack's mind about that race, or at least what he thought of it. "He is still a virgin, only with me to have as a Hub. That must've been some shock, few times around."

Ianto cuddled closer but sighed. "I don't understand _why _she was here, though."

"Dunno. Maybe she'll get over it and come back?"

"Get over what?" the female voice caused the two to look up, seeing Tesni looking down at them from the opening.

"The, uh, sex you saw."

"That wasn't sex."

Ianto and Jack frowned before Jack said, "Well, you saw _a _type of sex, but it was leading up to sex."

"I saw a video. That wasn't sex."

"Video?" Ianto asked, a little confused.

"Christmas, last year, mistletoe, tinsel, and wrapping paper. The bow was a nice touch, by the way." Ianto turned even more red as Jack seemed to beam with pride. He'd been particularly creative that Christmas, he remembered. He then frowned at another thought before an echo of Avery's words came back.

_CCTV footage is never fully deleted._

"erm...how many videos do you have?"

"I only got the one. My third cousin in Archives says he has the full collection, but he's lied before. I had a question."

"If this is about a threesome, then yes."

"It's not, and I'll ask what that is later." Ianto looked up at her and sighed as he realized she wasn't joking. Exactly how deprived was this race?

"Ask away," Jack said, sitting up and not trying to cover anything as he did.

"Does sex help with...anger...issues?"

Both men looked over at her, Ianto blinking owlishly while Jack considered then said, "It helps a little, but it does depend. Why?"

Tesni moved to make herself more comfortable before saying, "I've been...angry...at some things lately, and nothing's worked to stop it. Lilith mentioned sex, and...well...we don't have casual sex."

Jack looked hurt as Ianto asked, "Why not?"

"We take it seriously. Sex is a special moment, to be done with one that you are willing to go through the paperwork of Marriage, or at least joint-statement on your monthly income, with. Lilith's the first one in a few millennium to have sex outside of marriage."

"which is probably why _we're _so popular," Jack muttered before Ianto sat up as well, though he made sure the sheet covered him partly.

"Tesni, you need to find something that helps _you _deal with anger. Everyone has their own way of doing it, and you just...need to channel it elsewhere."

Tesni considered this as Jack said, "Though if you want to know what a threesome is to see if sex _does _channel it well--."

"No Jack," the two voices almost made Jack wonder if Marius hadn't somehow gotten into here as well...

Jack smiled at Ianto. "Come on! We can play Naked Hide-and-Seek."

"You cheat," Ianto said as Tesni finally spoke up.

"Thanks for the offer, but...I need to go back. I'll figure something out." She smiled at them before disappearing again.

"spoilsport."

"I don't like to share is all, sir." Kiss, "and besides," kiss, "if I share, I'll get jealous."

More kisses. "Jealous? What do you do when you're jealous?"

"Punishment."

"OHHHH?"

"Goodnight Jack."

".........Ianto?" No reply. "I didn't mean it." Light snoring. "Damn it, Ianto!"

--

It was maybe a week later and all she could find was imagination. It didn't help, but writing down what she would do to Weevils and various other nasty things _helped _her not to think about anger, or Jack and Ianto, or even Marius.

At least, until she found the picture of him after he was brought into the Hub for the first time. Anger and another, unidentified feeling crept in, and she sighed.

"Someone hates me."


	27. Altered Realities

**Twenty-Six: **Altered Realities

There had been a small ceremony that the Jack had gone to, but besides that, Marius felt something odd about the funeral for the Doctor. While Jack had returned looking heart-broken over the news, Marius still felt odd. He was the Field Agent of Earth, assigned to Torchwood Three and Cardiff, and he'd joined the group easily, manufacturing a name and alibi for joining. He and Ianto Jones were good friends, as it was, and some mild pushing, both mentally and otherwise, had allowed him to get Toshiko to admit her love for Owen.

Being a prat, Owen had not really noticed.

But something bothered him all the same. Like some part of the whole play was off and the lines had been moved around. He didn't think that the Doctor should be dead, and he had contacted Tesni to find out the fate of Lilith, but hadn't gotten anything back yet, which was even odder.

He had kept up a Human schedule, and odd dreams, dreams where he met the Doctor and didn't just hear about him, dreams where he'd been the regular Caretaker and not Field Agent, kept bothering him. A few dreams of...unpleasant things...came up as well, and despite the nightmares and odd dreams he found himself wishing to be there as well.

A name and face also appeared, a woman with ginger hair who seemed to want nothing more then to figure out why it was both familiar but not.

There was also the feeling that Tyr was around, as if traveling after someone or following someone who was looking for someone else.

_Of course, _Marius thought as he listened to the report about the hospital with a feeling of _wrongness_ working into him, _I could just need a checkup. Maybe Avery will come down._

Ianto looked over at him before saying, "What's wrong?"

"I...just an odd feeling is all," Marius told him, frowning as he looked between Ianto and the television. "Like this is all wrong. And Tesni never called back."

"Maybe she's got something better to do then listen to your calls, mate," Owen said as he walked up, frowning at the news. "That's horrible. Do you know any rhino-aliens?"

Marius shook his head, though he knew about twenty of them and only one fit the idea of kidnapping an entire hospital and leaving only one person alive to tell the tale. _Intergalactic peace-keepers my ass. They're common thugs, and only took it upon themselves to come up because the people who normally did it died. Stupid Shadow Proclamation..._

--

Marius didn't come out of his room for two days after London was destroyed. Jack tried all he could, and even with Ianto Jones, someone that he seemed to be connected to without knowing why, just an odd nagging feeling of how wrong this world was, he didn't leave until two days later.

That year was the worst for them, when Owen died and was reborn, then when Gray appeared. Something about the whole thing seemed like deja vu to Marius, and Ianto shared glances with him, telling him that it was the same feeling.

That year was the worst, as refugees poured in and with them, refugee aliens. Torchwood Three, losing two people, did what they could for everyone, trying to find ways home for them. John, despite wanting to travel, was kept around for the simple fact that he could help, and half the time he did. The rest was Marius, Ianto or Jack finding him in pubs trying to drown his sorrows away. He'd seen a lot, he muttered as they pulled him out once, but _this _was different. It was WRONG.

Marius didn't know how to agree with him.

--

ATMOS was something that _screamed _unnatural the minute it appeared, and with UNIT attempting to help both America and Britain after joint alien attacks, one of them involving the Adipose invading and harvesting the fat of millions of people, Marius wondered why he had such a feeling of dread in place.

John had disappeared, and while Gwen was a little happy about it, Ianto and Marius weren't. Ianto was Marius' best friend, almost a blood brother, and both seemed to feel the wrongness that wrapped around the world, twisting it. One bout of Christmas glee to try and bring up spirits had been Gwen's renting and the group's watching of _It's A Wonderful Life_.

When Marius tried to look at the feelings he had, at the whole of what there was, that was what it felt like. But there was no angel showing someone a lesson in humility, a lesson in realizing how important they were. This was just...

"Trickster..."

And suddenly Marius remembered, for a brief second, why this world was WRONG, and he looked over at Jack as they sat in the conference room. Jack, who didn't know he was an alien. Ianto, who was his accidental hub and carried a piece of his memories in him, dormant until someone released them. Gwen, who had always been kind and let him sleep on her couch after he'd been tortured by Ulamo and who always was there for the team.

"There's a lot to tell you," Marius said as they all looked at him, "and we have to hurry."

--

"They're trying right now, this little band of fighters, on board the Sontaran ship. Any second now..."

Tyr watched from the shadows, feeling like smacking his Client. Really, she could figure something else out to say. At the same time he realize she couldn't: this world was trying to reverse itself and working hard. One had already broken the cycle, but now two others were attempting to as well.

And Donna Noble wasn't ready to hear this yet, but she also was listening to try and figure things out.

The sky lit up, and Tyr suddenly stiffened with one quick move before looking up at the fire scorching through the atmosphere and the system.

"Marius--."

--

Marius looked at the band on his wrist that hadn't been there before, and up at the Sontaran's pointing their weapons at him. On the floor nearby was Gwen and Ianto, Ianto in Jack's arms as he rocked back and forth, lost to the world. He'd already been shot but came back, and it was obvious the Sontarans were going to take him back, as dead in the mind as he was.

The band would keep him on Earth, had been even through the altered reality that Donna Noble had somehow created, or that had been created through Donna to satisfy the Trickster and to feed it's lust for chaos.

He slowly sat back on his feet and smiled at the Sontarans. Maybe he could summon up the energy needed.

In the very least, he could do what he must to ensure Jack didn't have to continue to live.

Marius closed his eyes, pushed against the restraint as a piece, almost a small chunk of the smooth surface, fell to the floor with all the sound of a pin dropping.

The world exploded in light around him, and briefly, for only a moment, he thought he saw a blinding golden light and outline of Tesni, standing in radiant sunlight colors and with a large claymore at her side. She screamed, and then nothing.

--

Above them and to the right, the remaining Sontaran ships, so intent on leaving, had one implode on itself. Just as quickly, more and more began to fall in, like a grouping of black holes had been created in that spot for them.

With no ceremony like the one shot out through the sky on Earth, the Sontaran ships cracked like eggs, and a wail could be heard throughout the universe pleased the Trickster more then anyone could know, for it was the sound of horrible sorrow and loss.

--

"I don't care what you do, or say, but you'd better bloody fix this, Rose Tyler," Tyr muttered as Rose came back.

"What's wrong?"

Tyr glared at her and then she straightened before saying, "Oh Tyr. He was..."

"He'd just broken free, too," Tyr said, "and got out enough to destroy himself and Harkness from that reality. I don't know what repercussions it'll have in the real universe, or any other. Now, stop playing around and DO something!"

Rose started to protest but Tyr cut her off. "The fabric of Time and Reality is not _that _fragile. Believe me, I work outside of it, I know." He paused and said, "I'm coming with you this time."

"But—then..."

"He won't. Your time as Bad Wolf is enough to know this all. The TARDIS and you worked together. If you want, I'll tap into that and show you. For a brief minute, we'll work it all out."

Rose looked a little uncertain about that, but Tyr held up his hand. "You trusted him in everything, you can't trust someone with more power then a Time Lord?"

--

Donna Noble seemed more interested in Rose, leaving Tyr as a background and where to go. Tyr and Rose both moved, and when Donna disappeared, Tyr used his own power to drag Rose along, stopping as they got to the point of Donna's decision and the return to time and reality.

"Tell him this. Two words," Rose told Donna, bending down to whisper as Tyr once more touched her.

The world spun, stopped, and disappeared in a rush of energy as Tyr touched one and said the words as well.

"Bad Wolf."

_Scattered throughout the universe as a guide, for me to enter this place, to take me back to you, and you back to me, for all eternity. I will move the sun, the stars, the whole of creation for you, Our Doctor._

--

Marius blinked and shook his head clear. Saturday was a nice day, and nothing had been happening at least, but that didn't stop the odd feeling that something had happened, or the odd dream he had of dying while fighting the Sontarans.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked him as he walked past and to his office.

"I had a very strange dream," Marius said, "I think it involved us dying."

"And?"

Ianto looked at Marius from his area near Gwen, and then both of them whispered something that froze Jack in place.

"Bad Wolf..."

The whole world suddenly rocked violently and everyone fell to the ground, sparks and loose equipment flying from it's normal locations and onto them.


End file.
